Last Christmas
by Starlover88 and Moonlover13
Summary: Based on the song by Wham! and redone by the Cheetah Girls and Ashley Tisdale. Gabriella's boyfriend before Troy didn't treat her very well, but what will happen when she sees him when she's with Troy? Chapter 15 and on Co-written with LadyMidnight13
1. It's a Shame

**Based on the song Last Christmas by Wham!, The Cheetah Girls, or Ashley Tisdale. Take your pick. Originally Wham! sang it but personally I like Ashley's the best. I also plan to name all the chapters after songs.   
**

**Dedicated to someone who will never read this.**

**I don't own HSM or the Ghost and Mr. Chicken unfortunately. I don't own any of the songs I name the chapters after either... obviously. **

**It's a Shame - The Spinners **

* * *

**December 20, 2006**

**Mackinac, Michigan **

Gabriella sighed as she looked at her clock on her bedside table. 11:01 p.m. it read. Edward had promised to call today. He kept apologizing for not calling when he said he would, but it never seemed like a true apology. It didn't help that the calls kept getting fewer and fewer. The two of them use to talk at least once a day for two or more hours, now it was about once a week, for at the most half an hour. She hadn't even seen him in three weeks. It was just strange to go from talking all the time to hardly ever talking. She tried calling him, but he never answered or couldn't talk at the moment.

Her computer beeped, her instant messenger telling her she had a new email. She got off her bed and went over to her computer, bringing her blanket with her. It was mid December in Mackinac, Michigan, so it wasn't exactly eighty degrees and sunny outside. Plus her mom's work was transferring her in a week, so most of her clothes and blankets were already packed.

Gabriella smiled a little noticing the email was from him. Her smile got bigger as she read the email. By the time she had finished reading it she was very happy. She knew she shouldn't forgive him so easily for hardly talking to her, but she couldn't help it. Gabriella had been told numerous times that she was 'just too nice for her own good,' a few times even by him. She really wanted to not be as nice and stick up for herself more, but every time her conscious stopped her from being what she thought was mean. For example: breaking up with her so-called boyfriend.

"Sweetie, you should just go to sleep, maybe he'll call tomorrow." Her mother said from the doorway to her room as Gabriella was typing away on her computer.

"Mama, he sent me an email though!" Gabriella replied.

'Thank goodness he finally contacted her in someway at least.' Her mother thought.

"He said he can come over and spend Christmas with us!" Gabriella said turning around to face her mother.

"That's great Gabi, I'm glad." She replied hoping it was actually true. This boy had gotten her daughter's hopes up too many times just to crush them down right away again.

Secretly she was happy she and Gabi were moving, it meant no more of this idiotic boy. Fortunately, her daughter thought that her mother liked her boyfriend Edward. Otherwise she wasn't sure if Gabriella would talk to her. Though she knew her daughter knew deep down things weren't working out between her and Edward.

"What time do we want him to come over?" Gabriella asked excitedly smiling widely up at her mother.

"How about one o'clock? That way he can spend some time with his family too." She replied trying not to grimace at how excited her daughter was.

"Okay Mama." Gabriella replied, turning back around and typing some more.

"How about after you finish that email we have some tea and popcorn while we watch a movie?" Her mother asked as a futile attempt to get her daughter's mind off of Edward Mills.

"The Ghost and Mr. Chicken?"

"Of course, we haven't watched it in about two weeks. That has to be a record for you Gabriella."

"I'm sorry, but Don Knotts is just an incredible comedian and actor, plus it's the only movie we didn't pack." Gabriella replied laughing, still typing away.

* * *

**So hope you like it :) Oh and I highly suggest you go listen to the song if you don't know it already!**


	2. Merry Christmas, Baby

**Dedicated to someone who I will not send this story to their current significant other, no matter how amusing the outcome would be. **

**So it really amuses me when people inform me the kind of music I listen to sucks. Come on, my favorite band is The Beach Boys and I'm 19. Seriously, if you're going to try and insult me, be more creative. Just by the fact that that's my favorite band should tell you that people have made of my music before, not to mention I was listening to country**_**years**_** before it was cool. I didn't have friends until I was 15 that liked the same music as me. Plus the person that attempted to insult me didn't realize I didn't say that I didn't like the original version of Last Christmas. I also love British music, I'm just not a huge fan of most music that's come out after about '80. But hey, everyone's entitled to their own opinions. Thank you ****to that person**** for amusing me** **and making my day.**

**Merry Christmas, Baby - The Beach Boys **

* * *

**December 25, 2006. 3:00 P.M.**

**Mackinac, Michigan****  
**

Gabriella sat by the Christmas tree with just one lonely present left underneath it now. Three hours previous at least twenty other ones were there keeping it company, but now just the one was waiting for Edward to come and claim it.

She stared at the present, looked at her watch, then glanced out the window to see nothing but a moving truck, snow, and her mothers car.

'_Isn't he going to come? What if he got in an accident because of the ice and snow?_' She started to think, well over think.

"Come into the kitchen Gabi, we can bake some cookies while we wait, okay?" Her mother asked walking up to her and putting her hand out to help Gabriella up.

"Okay Mama….Do you think something happened to him?" Gabriella asked with big eyes.

"I'm sure he just lost track of time. I bet he'll be ringing the doorbell any minute now." She replied, her heart breaking from the look on her daughter's face.

"Okay. I'm sure you're right, He's probably playing with his nieces and nephews. I'm sure they got a lot of new toys. I bet there's a lot of batteries to put into the toys…stupid 'batteries not included' toys." She answered frowning a bit and her mother laughing a little bit. The two of them walked into the kitchen, ten minutes later the doorbell finally rang.

"I'll get it!" Gabriella yelled running to the door.

"Hey! Merry Christmas!" She said smiling widely at Edward Mills for the first time in a month.

"Hey Gabi. Merry Christmas to you too." He replied and kissed her cheek. She let him in and closed the door. After that she rushed to the Christmas tree and handed him his present.

"Oh no, I forgot your's at home." He said looking at her apologetically, well at least Gabriella thought he looked sincerely apologetic. Not to Mrs. Montez who was watching from the doorway separating the living room from the kitchen. "I'll bring it to you tomorrow if the weather isn't too bad. Thanks for the gift." He said smiling at Gabriella. Her face fell a bit after he said he forgot her present, but she tried brushing it off.

"Oh that's fine, open it!" she replied excitedly, sitting on the couch. He soon followed her and sat down next to her.

"Hello Edward. Merry Christmas," Mrs. Montez said walking into the room, making her presence known.

"Merry Christmas to you too Erika." Her replied stopping his unwrapping to smile up at her. She frowned a bit after he looked away. She didn't remember telling him he could call her by her first name.

Once Edward finished unwrapping his present, he looked at Gabriella confused.

"It's a scrapbook!" She said while reaching over and opening up the thick, black book. She had spent at least a good twenty hours on the book; surprisingly in the few months together they had a lot of pictures taken of the two of them.

"Thanks." He said smiling and hugging her. Mrs. Montez took this as her cue to leave and went back into the kitchen to work on the cookies.

Six hours later after dinner and watching a movie on TV, Edward insisted that he had to leave. He and Gabriella were standing at the door.

"I don't want you to go, I'm not going to see you many more times." Gabriella muttered hugging him.

"I know, I'm sorry I was late today. My mom left me in charge of lunch." Edward replied, also hugging Gabriella.

"That sucks." She muttered into his chest, hugging him tighter.

"I'm going to miss you Gabriella Montez." He said releasing her from the hug, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"You promise?" she asked as she opened the door for him.

"Yes, I do." He replied.

"Okay," she replied as he started to walk out.

"Bye." He said smiling slightly.

"I love you." She half whispered.

"Yeah, same here." Edward Mills replied, already walking away and not looking back.


	3. Please Mr Postman

**Dedicated to someone who apparently thought I'd be stupid enough to believe these lies and who should be glad that I didn't get revenge. I thought of some**_** excellent**_** things to do for revenge. Too bad deviled eggs cost so much….**

**I do not claim to own Gilmore Girls.**

**Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes **

* * *

To: Gabi 

From: Edward

Date: December 26, 2006 8:19 PM

Subject: (None)

Hey Gabi I have some stuff to say. I'm sorry for not calling for a while, but its because I've been thinking for a long time and I think were not working out. plus your moving tomorrow so it doesn't make that much of a difference. I hoppe we can still be friends. I'm sorry but I don't think I can be in a real relationship right now. I just have so much stuff going on and I don't want too hurt you. I just can't handle a gurlfriend, I'm under so much stress. My mom was in the hospital this morning.

* * *

To: Mr. Mills 

From: Miss Montez

Date: December 29, 2006 5:27 PM

Subject: To Mr. Bigstuff

Dear Mr. Mills,

I was starting to think along the same lines. I, on the other hand would have had the courtesy to at least tell you on the phone or in person if you had actually come over Tuesday like you had promised. Then again you also had me believing you had enough class to not break up with me through an email. With your future girlfriends please don't wait to tell her this and make her suffer through the stress and your constant parade of broken promises.

Why could we have not worked? You're willing to put in enough effort to stay in touch with me to be friends, but not to have me as a girlfriend. Do you realize how ridiculous you made yourself sound there? Both of those relationships require effort Einstein. Speaking of Einstein, I'm inserting a website where you can work on your punctuation, writing styles, spelling, and the such. It needs a lot of work.

You want to know something funny? I have been really busy too, but I was more than willing to make the time for you. Heck, I was packing to move across the country to New Mexico! I'm sorry that you were too busy almost 24/7 for a month. You must need to visit the doctor after that to make sure you're not sick after being that busy. Would you like the name of mine I had when I lived there? He was great! Maybe the one here in Albuquerque is better. It might be worth flying here to find out. Do you want their number too?

I am truly _very_ sorry your mom is sick! Of course you realize that I would have dropped everything and came over with flowers for her and some comfort for you right? I'll send her a sympathy card after I'm done with this email. Good thing you're in school and your mom is at home when the mail comes huh?

That email still astounds me Mr. Mills. Who breaks up with their girlfriend through email? It's akin to breaking up with someone on a post-it note! Just be glad I'm not seeking revenge like anyone else would. Aretha says it best. Now excuse me while I go get my mom to sign that sympathy card!

Very Sincerely,

Little Miss Pissed Off

P.S Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I was extremely busy.

* * *

Gabriella got up from her newly set up desk. She looked around her very organized and clean room. She smirked at her computer then walked down the stairs to the box filled kitchen where her mother was unpacking their dishes. 

"So did you finish replying to his email?" Mrs. Montez asked, stopping unpacking to look at her daughter.

"Yup, do you know where our sympathy cards are?" Gabriella replied jumping up to sit on the counter. "Oh and have you unpacked the third season of Gilmore Girls on DVD yet? I want to watch the episode where they devil egg Jess's car. It makes me happy."

"Yes I do know where the cards are, I'll get Gilmore Girls . Oh and I decided that we need a little break, we're going to a ski resort tomorrow near Durango, Colorado until school starts." Mrs. Montez replied smiling at her daughter's requests.

"Sounds fun! I'll go start packing while you go get the DVDs and card," Gabriella responded jumping off the counter and walking out of the kitchen.

"Thank goodness he's gone forever!" Mrs. Montez said looking up at the ceiling and smiling.

* * *

**So does anybody get what I mean when I say Aretha knows best or by Mr. Bigstuff? **


	4. Cheers and Chasers

**Dedicated to someone is now afraid to look at me, let alone look me in the eye now. I have to admit it's rather amusing. **

**I quite obviously don't own the Albuquerque airport. If I did I wouldn't live a few states away. **

**So I've come to the conclusion that I should make this story longer. For one thing I have a lot of plot twists and Alyssa thinks I should make it longer lol. Plus I get to write possibly about Albuquerque, a place that I love, and possibly has the most awesome food court in their mall that the world has ever seen. **

**Cheers and Chasers **

* * *

**Monday, November 1, 2007**

**Albuquerque, New Mexico**

**East High School**

Gabriella, Troy, Taylor, and Chad all were sitting at a small round table in the library that was just big enough for the four of them. They all had a huge government test the next day and were studying for it. Well Gabriella and Taylor were studying while trying to keep Chad and Troy studying. Troy would've been fine studying, but Chad will not be denied when he's bored.

"Paper football!" Chad whispered loudly making Troy look up from his book. The two of them were sitting across from each other. Chad flicked the football at Troy, who had made goal posts with his hands. It went through the 'goal posts' much to Chad's pleasure.

"Touch down!" Chad exclaimed in a very loud whisper, putting his arms above his head. Both Gabriella and Taylor rolled their eyes. Gabriella then proceeded to take the paper football away from Troy while Taylor hit Chad upside the head.

"Ow!"

"Gabiiii…. why'd you take the ball?"

"It's paper Troy. He'll probably make another one within five minutes." Gabriella responded putting it in her pocket and looking back at her notes.

"You two need to learn how to keep your mind on what you're studying." Taylor replied in a whisper.

"Hey I was studying, but Chad keeps distracting me." Troy responded forgetting to whisper, bring the librarian right over.

"Hey!" Chad responded also not whispering.

"Mr. Bolton and Mr. Danforth, do I need to kick you two out? Please stay quiet!"

"Sorry." The both mumbled in unison.

"Hello Wildcats. I come baring invitations for you all." Whispered Ryan Evans coming up behind Gabriella with Sharpay in tow. The two of them grabbed chairs from an empty near by table and squeezed them in on either side of Gabriella.

"We're never going to get enough studying done." Taylor whispered rubbing her temples.

"Don't worry we won't stay long. We wouldn't want to take up your precious studying time." Sharpay responded. She may be on halfway good terms with her brother's friends, but she's still Sharpay.

"So what kind of invitation is it?" Chad asked excitedly, glad for any excuse not to study.

Ryan handed them each a light blue envelope with their last names on it. They all opened it to find a light blue, dark blue, silver, white glittery, and snowflake covered invitation.

_Dear Friends,_

_We invite you and your immediate families to join us at our ski lodge just outside of Durango, Colorado for the Christmas and New Year holidays. We will be leaving on Saturday, the 15__th__ of December from Albuquerque. You will be picked up by limo at your home at 10 AM and brought to __Albuquerque International Sunport__ Airport. From there you will join us on our jet to fly to Durango. We will fly back on Saturday, the 5th of January. For anymore information please contact Ryan. Also, R.S.V.P. to him. _

_Love,_

_The Evans Family_

"Our parents also invited some of their close friends and some of our family, so it will be a full house. The lodge isn't accepting any reservations from anyone we didn't invite." Ryan whispered smiling at them all after they had finished reading.

"We have to meet our new aunt and her kids too, our uncle got remarried. From the look of her and her children in pictures it's very apparent that he actually married her for love." Sharpay said disgusted and grimacing.

"Shar…I'm sure she's nice." Ryan said leaning forward and looking at his sister.

"Ry, ew, hello! Did you see what she and her son looked like? Gross!" Sharpay replied, also leaning forward. Gabriella felt rather trapped sitting between them. Ryan rolled his eyes at his sister.

"Whatever you say Shar."

"Exactly. Tootles." She replied standing up and walking away, letting Ryan put her chair back.

"Thanks Ryan." Gabriella said as he walked away. He waved in acknowledgement.

"So… this should be interesting." Troy said once the twins had gotten out of earshot.

"Yup, to put it mildly." Gabriella replied looking back at her notes again.

"Can we get back to studying? This test is twenty five percent of our grade tomorrow!" Taylor whispered as Chad mimicked her. Unfortunately for him she saw.

* * *

**So FYI I don't plan on updating for probably a week, too much to do. My finals are this week and over half of my friends will be home from school. I'm excited! Ha and kudos to anyone who knows the song the chapter was named after.**


	5. Shop Around

**So I know I said that I wouldn't update this soon, but of course I got sick and I'm bored so I'm writing. **

**Dedicated to someone who decided to make my last Christmas suck and wait until early January to break up with me. **

**I obviously don't own the Cottonwood Mall, Sandia Crest, Sandia Peak Ski area, or the Disney Store. Although, the Disney store owns some HSM stuff I'm sure lol**

**Shop Around – The Miracles**

* * *

**December 14, 2007**

**Albuquerque, New Mexico**

**Montez House**

"Mom! Have you seen my huge coat? You know the really cute one you bought me for Michigan?" Gabriella called out to her mother when she saw her pass her room.

"Isn't in the downstairs hall closet?" Her mother called back. Gabriella walked down the stairs to go check. She didn't think she had even used it since they had moved. It got cold in New Mexico, but not near as cold as Michigan. It had snowed only a few times since they had moved there and it always melted within twenty four hours. In other words she could always get away with a few layers.

She smiled widely as she opened the door to the closet and spotted the lost coat.

"Thanks Mama!" She yelled loudly back at her mom.

"Is mine in there too?"

"Which one do you want? The red or blue one?"

"Red! It's more festive for the occasion."

"Okay." Gabriella yelled back, grabbing both coats. The doorbell rang as she closed the closet door. She walked the five feet to the front door and opened it.

"Oh thank goodness you're home!" Taylor practically yelled.

"Uh…yay?" Gabriella responded, very confused.

"We're going to the mall!" Taylor said like it was obvious. "Let's go."

"Why? I have to finish packing." Gabriella responded closing the door and then walking up the stairs with Taylor following close behind.

"Well I, unlike you, have lived in New Mexico my whole life. So I, unlike you, have no warm clothes warm enough for a ski resort. I've never even been to a ski resort let alone gone skiing or snowboarding. I almost went once to the Sandia Peak Ski area, but it was closed that day and my parents never took me back." Taylor responded talking about one of the beautiful mountains that towered over Albuquerque.

"Taylor! I need to pack too though!" Gabriella responded trying to hide her almost completely packed suitcases as they entered her room.

"Gabi, why don't you go? Just be home by nine okay?" Erika asked as she came into her daughter's room and taking her jacket from Gabriella's arms.

"Fine." Gabriella responded throwing her jacket on her suitcases and grabbing a light jacket to wear shopping.

* * *

**7:10 P.M.**

**Cottonwood Mall**

"I love pizza." Taylor said eating her huge piece of pizza in the food court of the mall. She and Gabriella sat surrounded by bags.

"Me too!" Gabriella responded looking at the ceiling. No matter how many times she saw it, it still amazed her. The food court had a replica of Albuquerque on the ceiling. There were even hot air balloons up there and the chairs and tables were painted like the sky with clouds on them.

"You're in a really good mood ever sine we got here." Taylor said looking at Gabriella suspiciously.

"I just love the ceiling." She said smiling widely.

"Okay I know you love the ceiling, but I haven't ever seen you this happy about the ceiling."

"What? I just can't wait for Christmas! All the decorations are infectious! Last year's Christmas sucked big time." She responded sipping her peppermint hot chocolate.

"Why, Because you moved a couple of days later?"

"No, not really. It's because my ex." She responded telling her the story. After she finished Taylor just stood there staring at her for a minute before speaking.

"Wow…over email? What an idiot! That's like breaking up over a post it note!"

"That's what I said in the letter back to him! Which he wasn't a man enough to answer. He did try calling my cell phone a few days later, I didn't have my phone with me at the time thankfully. I would've probably cussed him out."

"You don't cuss…." Taylor said slowly looking confused.

"I know, that's just how mad I was about how he broke up with me. Surprisingly I wasn't that sad, I didn't even cry."

"Dang…" Taylor said, wide eyed.

"Oh and I was mad at the fact that I never got my Christmas present either! I spent days making his present! He had asked me about what kind of jewelry I liked a month before too!" Gabriella responded folding her arms across her chest like a five year old.

"Ouch, I'd be mad too. I would've flown back and attacked that guy."

"Yeah… I restrained myself. You'd be amazed at some of the things I thought of for revenge. I decided after all of that that I wouldn't let another guy do something like that to me. Thank goodness I had enough nerve with Troy over the summer."

"You did the right thing over the summer." Taylor responded looking at her sympathetically. Gabriella smiled at her slightly. They sat in silence for awhile eating before Gabriella spoke up suddenly again.

"His mom use to leave her car unlocked with the keys in the ignition in the driveway and he had gotten in trouble for taking her car before. I was tempted to move it enough to make it obvious it had been moved so he would get in trouble again. He was grounded for a month and a half the first time." She said grinning, resulting in Taylor laughing very hard, and the people around them staring.

"I doubt this Christmas will suck, unless Sharpay suddenly decides to mess with Troy again. Otherwise what could go wrong? You'll have all your friends there!" Taylor said happily.

"Exactly, plus it's mine and Troy's first Christmas!" Gabriella answered excitedly as Taylor looked at her watch.

"So we have about an hour and a half until we have to be home…. You thinking what I'm thinking?" She asked smiling up at Gabriella who looked at her smirking.

"Disney Store?"

"Disney Store!"


	6. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

**Dedicated to someone whose house my friends wanted to caroling at a couple nights ago. Not to mention we had Last Christmas as one off the songs in our book (and it wasn't even me who put it in the book!). I vetoed that request and flat out refused. Talk about ironies of ironies. Seriously, out of all the places to go Christmas caroling….**

**So I know this is a Christmas story, but obviously it's not going to be done by Christmas. I will try my best to update as often as possible, but my mom gets suspicious for me being in my room for a long period of time when I don't have homework as an excuse. Sorry it isn't long, but I need to get some sleep and some is better than none! I'll try my best to update on the 26th! Oh and thank you very much to all of my reviewers! You make me happy! **

**Santa Claus is Coming to Town**

* * *

**December 15, 2007**

**Albuquerque, New Mexico **

**6:00 A.M. **

Gabriella woke up at 5:30 to take her shower and get ready. She only did this because she predicted that she would be getting a call sometime after 6. She had finished packing last night before she had gone to bed and her bags were next to the door, ready to go. Gabriella smiled to herself as the phone started ringing. Her mother cried sleepily from the next room, "I'm sure it's for you!"

"Hello?" Gabriella answered.

"Gabi? Oh good you're awake! I don't know how to get it all done! Jack and Troy procrastinated until about ten minutes ago on packing again! Can you come over and help?" Lucille Bolton asked desperately.

"I was just waiting for your call. I woke up early even." Gabriella responded.

"I don't know what we would do without you Gabriella! You're a lifesaver. I will see you in a bit. Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Gabriella replied, but was cut off by yells coming from both Troy and Jack asking Lucille questions.

"JUST A MINUTE!" Lucille screamed back to them before saying, "Bye Gabriella," and hanging up.

Gabriella burst out laughing . This wasn't the first time she had been called early in the morning to help the Bolton's pack before they went on a trip. The men of the family seemed to have issues with packing on time.

"Bye mom, see you in a few hours!"

"Have fun packing…again." Her mom called as Gabriella descended the stairs.

**6:30 A.M. **

**Bolton Residence**

Gabriella let herself into the house since no one was answering her ringing and knocking.

"MOM? WHERE'S MY TOOTHBRUSH?"

"HOW SHOULD I KNOW!"

Gabriella walked into the bathroom and grabbed Troy's toothbrush. The Bolton men also seemed to forget where the most obvious things were when they packed somehow.

As she walked to Troy's room she grabbed a few other things she saw that she was sure he would need.

"Gabriella!" He said happily as she entered his room turning around with a pair of socks in one hand and a wrapped gift in the other.

"Yup I'm here to help you pack." She answered, handing him the stuff she had collected and a list.

"What's this?" he asked confused looking at the list.

"It's so you don't forget everything. Check it off once it's in the suitcase. Actually check it twice just to make sure. I'll go make breakfast."

"I swear if you loose that girl I will kill you." His mom said passing his room looking for something her husband needed.

* * *

**Melekalikimaka! (Merry Christmas in Hawaiian) Thanks to Alyssa too for help with writers block :) Yes and this chapter is kind of just a filler. Sorry :P **


	7. Breaking Up is Hard to Do

**Dedicated to someone who can make incredibly fast turns. It's amazing how fast of a turn he can make when he realizes he's walking towards me. You'd think he would get whip lash.**

**Ok that's the last 'dedicated to someone..' because it's probably making me sound bitter lol**

**I do not own Mean Girls, ALBQ airport, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Achy Breaky Heart, POTO, These Boots Are Made For Walkin', You're So Vain, Last Christmas, This Love, Big Girls Don't Cry, or Cupid's Chokehold. I only own Edward Mills. Now seriously how depressing is that?**

**Breaking Up Is Hard To Do – Neil Sedaka**

* * *

**December 15, 2007**

**Albuquerque International Sunport Airport**

**10:45 A.M.**

"Hey Zeke, what do you have in the box?" Taylor asked as they all were in line to go through security.

"Oh! It's an assortment of cookies for Sharpay's family." He answered smiling widely.

"Um…Zeke? Hate to break it to you, but you can't get those cookies through security. You're not allowed to bring any food or drinks any further than here." Gabriella responded giving him an apologetic smile. Zeke looked crushed.

"Oh…okay then."

"We'll help you get rid of them if you'd like." Troy said, quick on the uptake.

"Yeah! Would you like help?" Chad asked excited. Gabriella and Taylor both hit their boyfriends in the stomach.

"Hey! I'm carrying half of your luggage!" Troy said looking offended, but breaking the illusion by smiling.

"You guys can have all of them if you want since the Evans are already on the plane," Zeke said sounding depressed, handing the box to Chad. Chad proceeded to stuff two cookies into his mouth at the same time before handing the box to Jason.

"Thanks Mom," Troy said taking the box from her after it had gone to everyone else but him, Gabriella, and Taylor. He looked in the box and sighed. He handed Taylor the box without taking a cookie. Taylor looked in the box and smiled gratefully at him, took a cookie, handed the box to Gabriella, then hit Chad hard upside the head.

"Hey! What in the world was that for!?" Chad asked as Gabriella broke her cookie in half and gave part of it to Troy.

"You ate two and Troy didn't get one! He gave me his!"

"Màm? Your bags and shoes?" said a security officer to Taylor. She jumped and did what she was told, but not without giving Chad a good glare in the mean time.

"Sorry man," Chad said to Troy as the took their shoes off.

"S'all good." Troy answered, use to his best friends way of doing things.

After they had all gotten through security, Ryan found them.

"Hello Wildcats and families! Follow me and we will be on our way shortly!" They all took notice of his clothes, which Gabriella realized matched the invitations they had been given.

"Ryan! Where are my movies?!" Sharpay yelled as soon as they were all on the plane. She also matched the invitations and Ryan. Gabriella giggled a bit as she saw Troy's reaction to Sharpay and Ryan standing next to each other with their matching outfits.

"Everyone please take a seat," Ryan said gesturing at the luxurious looking seats. "Sharpay I put it in your purse."

"Devon!" Sharpay yelled at one of the three stewards. "Put this in the DVD player and then after it hits the mushy part where everyone likes each other change it to this one." She said handing Devon two DVDs.

"Yes Miss Evans. Would you like anything else?" He responded looking like he was trying not to strangle her.

"No, that's it for now."

"Will everyone please stow their carry-on luggage and take a seat. We will be leaving shortly."

**1:00 PM **

**Somewhere over Colorado**

"Oh dear Lord." Taylor said as the second home video of Sharpay modeling for the camera came on. Sharpay had decided they were going to watch the first half of Mean Girls (because she didn't like the second part about everyone bonding) and then a video of a musical they had been in a few years before that she and Ryan were in. Then of course the weather was bad so they couldn't land yet, so they were stuck in the air watching Sharpay strut around.

"No kidding." Troy replied. Gabriella was sitting between Taylor and Troy while Chad was on the other side of Troy.

"Mmm." Gabriella replied, she had almost fallen asleep until Taylor spoke.

"Sorry Gabi," Troy said, noticing how tired she was and he pushed her head down gently to rest on his shoulder.

"Thanks." She mumbled as she fell asleep.

"_Hey I need to stop and get something I forgot from my house real quick. You mind if we do that?" Gabriella asked as she started driving her car towards her house. _

"_Sure, that's fine." Edward said as he played with her stereo that had her iPod hooked up to it as he sat in the passenger's seat. _

"_Great." _

_A few minutes later she parked in front of her house. _

"_I'll be right back." She said getting out of the car and running up to the house. Less than a minute later she was out and got back in the car to find Edward looking extremely serious. _

"_What's wrong?" she asked as she buckled her seat, worried at what could have possibly happened while she was in her house. _

"_It's really true…you know?" he responded turning back to look at her. _

"_Huh?" she asked thoroughly confused. _

"_The song." He replied, staring intently at her now. She then noticed that her iPod was still on and it was playing Breaking Up is Hard to Do._

"_Oh…I bet it is. I wouldn't know." She said frowning slightly and looking at him critically. Was he trying to imply something?_

"_You seem to have a strange obsession with upbeat depressing love songs. You do realize that right?" He asked now looking through her iPod, instead of looking at her. _

"_Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Achy Breaky Heart, Phantom of the Opera, These Boots are Made for Walkin', You're so Vain, This Love, Last Christmas, Big Girls Don't Cry, Cupid's Chokehold…." He said trailing off. _

"_Uh, no I didn't realize that but I guess you're right." Gabriella responded still really confused how this conversation was going. _

"Gabriella? Gabi?" Troy said shaking her awake.

"What?" she responded confused. It took her a minute to realize where she was. She was on a plane with Troy and not in Michigan with Edward.

"We are about to land." Troy responded smiling at her and putting his arm around her.

"Oh, okay." She said still a little bit confused.

"Something wrong?" Taylor asked noticing her friend's confused look.

"Oh…I just dreamt of something that happened over a year ago. It was just really strange since I've never had that many dreams about things that actually happened." She responded rubbing her eyes.

"What was it about, if you don't mind me asking?" Taylor asked.

Gabriella started to reply but was interrupted.

"Please fasten your seatbelts."

* * *

** Thanks for all the reviews! I appreciate it! **


	8. Beg Borrow and Steal

**Dedicated to someone who's myspace for some reason still said 'In a Relationship' for three months after we had broken up, even after I had messaged him about it. The word cheater comes to mind for some odd reason….**

**So generally it really bugs me when people say they aren't getting enough reviews, but seriously I have more people on the alert list for this story than I do reviews….that's just weird. On the other hand thank you to the others who have reviewed! Oh and if this chapter seems like Gilmore Girls at all, it's because I was writing it while watching it. Oh and I have no earthly idea if there really is a snowflake lodge. I just thought up a name that seemed like it could match Lava Springs. **

**I don't own NMSU or any of the other colleges mentioned.. On the other hand, my parents do own that painting in the Bolton's dining room and the story of how Jack and Lucile met. **

**Beg, Borrow, and Steal – The Rare Breed**

* * *

**December 15, 2007**

**Colorado**

**Snowflake Hills Ski Lodge**

**4:30 P.M.**

"Gabriella? Did you hang up your clothes yet?"

"Yes mom." She replied from the bathroom where she was unpacking her toothbrush and such. She could hear her mom start unpacking her clothes and hanging them in the huge closet considering it was just a ski lodge. Gabriella kept wondering why her mother had agreed that they could come to the lodge since usually she would almost always say no to doing things like this with other people.

She walked out of the bathroom and sat down on her bed while staring intently at her mom. Erika noticed her daughter's stare when she glanced up between putting pieces of clothing away.

"Yes," she asked finish and putting her suitcase next to Gabriella's on the floor of the closet. Gabriella was about to answer, but was interrupted by the room phone ringing.

"Hello?" Gabriella asked picking up the phone.

"It's Sharpay. The parents are going out to dinner at five and everyone else is going to be in the lobby. Tootles." She said and hung up before Gabriella could say anything else. She put the phone back on the receiver and looked back at her mom.

"Sharpay said the parents are going to dinner at five and everyone else is going to be meeting in the lobby." Erika replied with a sigh and got some other clothes out to wear.

"Mama?" Gabriella asked going back to what she was about to say before Sharpay called. "Why did you say yes to this trip?"

"Honestly?" she replied sitting across from Gabriella on the other bed.

"Yes."

"I said yes because I wanted you to have a better Christmas than last year. Edward rather messed up last year, not to mention the move." She said smiling at her daughter.

"Thank you mama." Gabriella replied smiling widely and hugging her mother tightly.

**Snowflake Hills Lodge Lobby**

**4:55 P.M. **

"We're always early huh?" Taylor asked Gabriella, as they and Taylor's twenty year old sister Crystal, sat down in the lobby.

"It's good to be early. It makes everyone else paranoid that they're late." Crystal responded flattening the wrinkles out of her skirt. She looked almost exactly like Taylor, except she was a few inches taller and a few other little things.

"So where have you been accepted to for college Gabriella?" Crystal asked as the three of them watched others slowly trickle into the lobby.

"Well I've applied to New Mexico State University, University of Albuquerque, University of Santa Fe, and Western New Mexico University."

"She actually was accepted to more, but she's narrowed it down to those four." Taylor said smiling.

"Hey! You're the reason I've decided on those four since we're going to go to the same college." Gabriella responded smiling as Troy sat down next to her and grabbing her hand.

"I highly suggest NMSU!" Crystal said getting excited. "I love it there! Yes, it's about a three hour drive to Albuquerque from there, but Los Cruces is an awesome place to live."

"Taylor has been pushing that the most, so has Troy since he got a basketball scholarship there." Gabriella responded.

"That's where my parents met." Troy said joining the conversation.

"Really?" Crystal asked. Troy started the story Gabriella had heard many times. Instead of listening, she started watching everyone coming in more intently. A girl about the same age as Gabriella came in with twin girls that were about eight. All three of them looked extremely familiar. She sat and watched them, doing her best to remember who they were, and where she knew them from.

She glanced back at the entrance to the lobby and saw Chad holding the hand of his over excited ten year old sister, Willow, who was trying her best to get Chad to skip with her. His other sister Teal, who was the same age as Crystal was walking a little bit behind them, trying not to laugh at her siblings.

Gabriella turned back to the three she was trying to remember who they were and saw that they were talking to three other people now too. Unfortunately, the newcomer's backs were to her. From what she could tell one was a woman, probably about thirty, a teenage boy, and about a five year old boy.

"I love the Organ Mountains over looking Las Cruces. My parents have a painting of them in our dining room. I can't wait until next fall when I start there." said Troy, still talking about New Mexico State University with Crystal. Taylor looked at Gabriella and rolled her eyes. She laughed at Taylor as Ryan and Sharpay walked in and motioned for everyone to sit down and be quiet.

By now there were close to thirty people under the age of 25 in the lobby all grouped together.

"So apparently we're suppose to be meeting everyone tonight because the parents think we will split up into like cliques or something." Sharpay announced to everyone while examining her nails and snapping her gum.

Gabriella quickly searched the room for the people she was trying to remember. They were all grouped together, except for the woman. It was driving her absolutely nuts that she didn't remember.

"There will be snacks and drinks brought up shortly. In the mean time we can get to know each other. We will be splitting up into small groups and periodically switching. That way we can get to know everyone." Ryan said explaining more in depth than Sharpay apparently wanted to since she was now a few feet away demanding a drink from a worker.

Gabriella suddenly gasped, which resulted in both Taylor and Troy looking at her questioningly.

"Um, it's nothing. I just forgot to do something. I'll be back later." She whispered since Ryan had started talking again. She quickly got up and walked out of the lobby, grabbing her cell phone out of her pocket as she went.

She was so engrossed in her cell phone, she didn't see anybody else in the hall way and ended up bumping into the two of them.

* * *

Taylor jumped as her cell phone started to vibrate. 

_Meet me in my room now! I need to talk to you. _

_-Gabi_

"Hey Crystal, I forgot something in our room. I'll be back." She said and went out the same way as Gabriella.

* * *

"Sorry," Gabriella mumbled picking up her cell phone, then taking the hand that was extended in front of her. 

"Thanks." She said smiling and looking at the owner of the hand after she was standing up. The smile didn't last very long.

"Have we met?" The owner of the hand asked as he looked Gabriella over. She was too shocked to answer or respond at all right away, which apparently gave him the wrong idea.

"Want to have dinner sometime while we're here?" He asked, not looking at her face, but everywhere else on her body.

Gabriella snatched her hand back quickly realizing it wasn't a dream like she had been hoping.

"First off, my face is up here," She said snapping her fingers in his face. "Secondly I'd rather beg, borrow, and steal than have dinner with you, and thirdly, how dare you hit on someone while holding a toddler! How bad of an uncle can you be?!" Gabriella replied noticing the little boy in the arms of the last person she wanted to see this Christmas.

* * *

As Taylor was about to knock on the door to Gabriella's room the door was opened quickly and she was barely dragged in the room before the door was slammed shut. 

"Watch it Gabi! What in the world is wrong with you!?" Taylor asked as she rubbed the shoulder of the arm she had been dragged in by. Who knew Gabriella Montez was that strong?

"He's here! I barely figured it out before I saw him! Edward I'm a Loser Mills is here!"

"Who's Edward Loser?" Taylor asked, very confused.

"My Ex.!" Gabriella responded throwing her arms up in the air.

"Wow," Taylor said sitting on a bed and watching Gabriella pace back and forth in front of her. She hadn't ever seen Gabriella like this.

"I even saw him on my way up to my room! I left the lobby because after ten minutes of trying to figure out who they were, I remembered they were his cousin, nieces, and nephews! Then while texting you I ran into him literally and he hit on me while holding his two year old nephew. He even asked me if we had met before! Who doesn't remember a ex girlfriend that you even spent a good majority of Christmas day with the previous year!? It wasn't even a year ago! I especially can't believe he doesn't remember me after what I put in the letter I sent back to him after he broke up with me. Seriously, you'd think he'd remember someone who did major damage to his ego. Gah! I can't believe he's here! I wonder why he's here. Do you think he could be the Evan's new cousin? Oh man I hope not! Can you imagine how horrible that would be?" Gabriella said all very quickly.

"Wow, he's a loser. Why are you extremely stressed out about this though?" Taylor asked amazed that Gabriella hadn't passed out after that rant. She had only taken a breath twice that she had seen.

"Because I told Troy he was my first boyfriend."

* * *

**That rant was fun to write :) Please review. **


	9. Six Days on the Road

Dedicated to someone that I for some odd reason I dated. I think something was wrong mentally with me. Seriously.

**Ha and yes Alyssa and I had perhaps too much fun with naming people (most of the people's names will be on my blog soon so everyone isn't so confused since there's a ton of them). Sharpay's uncle almost became Evan Evans, but I barely refrained from naming him that. Then of course I didn't introduce as many people in this chapter as I thought I would. **

**I do not own Starbucks, JFK airport, I'll Be Home For Christmas, or Six Days On the Road. **

**Six Days on the Road – Dave Dudley**

* * *

**December 15, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge **

**5:30 P.M.**

"Gabriella Montez! Why in the world would you tell Troy that!?" Taylor asked astounded. She didn't remember Gabriella _ever_ lying in the year she had known her.

"I didn't want him to think he was the rebound!" Gabriella responded as she was pacing back in forth in front of Taylor, who was sitting on Gabriella's bed.

"Well it kind of sounds like he was the rebound…." Taylor responded quietly.

"Not really, I pretty much totally forgot about Edward after I met Troy. Until Christmas time that is or if he did things that reminded me of Edward. Trust me though, there aren't many similarities between the two. Not to mention Edward wasn't really a boyfriend after the first month of us dating. It was just me annoying him to call me and see me."

"Okay I can sort of see that then, but you really need to tell Troy. Like now, because if Edward figures out who you are, something might happen." Taylor replied, watching Gabriella run her hands through her curly hair.

"I know, it's just that it's going to be so hard! He'll be so mad at me, especially after me getting mad at him over the summer. I've never lied to him before except I told him I wasn't ticklish. I wouldn't really count that though since he knew I was lying."

"No, it doesn't really count. This will really count though." Taylor replied looking at her best friend, extremely worried about her.

"I need a hug." Gabriella said looking at Taylor desperately. Taylor immediately stood and hugged her tightly.

"It's times like these that I wish I could talk to my dad and not just my mom and my friends." Gabriella mumbled into Taylor's shoulder before they released each other from their hug. Taylor looked at her sympathetically. The pair jumped as someone started pounding on the door, very loudly.

"HEY! OPEN UP! I KNOW THAT AT LEAST GABRIELLA IS IN THERE! YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THE ROOM _NOW_ AND BACK TO THE LOBBY!" yelled a extremely angry sounding Sharpay. Taylor went and opened the door.

"If I have to suffer through being with these annoying people, so do you two!" Sharpay growled as she grabbed a hand of Taylor's and a hand of Gabriella's and dragged the two of them out.

"Ow! Sharpay! Let go! We're coming!" Taylor yelled as they neared the elevator.

"Fine, just don't ditch again like that! I can't stand most of my family and the new members seem to be freeloaders! The daughter of my new _aunt_ has six kids and she's only twenty-eight, not to mention the oldest is fourteen. Talk about a wh-"

"We get the point Sharpay." Gabriella snapped before Sharpay could finish. The three got in the elevator quickly as the doors opened.

"Plus their names!" Sharpay started, apparently not caring about what Gabriella had said, "Who names their kid _Luding _or _Thurston_? Oh and my _aunt's_ son isn't any better. Hello! Hasn't he heard that the punk look was _never_ in?"

"The name is Ludwig." Gabriella corrected her, before realizing she probably shouldn't have let Sharpay know that she knew.

"How'd you know that?" Sharpay asked staring intently at her.

"I…uh heard it in the lobby earlier." Gabriella said, which apparently Sharpay bought thankfully. She looked at Taylor who mouthed at her "_Who names their kid Sharpay?"_

* * *

**December 16, 2007**

**Dinning Room**

**9:00 A.M.**

Gabriella sighed, hoping that the Boltons would hurry up and get to breakfast. She really needed to tell Troy since she hadn't gotten to the night before, due to Sharpay dragging her and Taylor with her everywhere.

Before she knew it, breakfast was over and the Boltons still hadn't shown up, so she was stuck at a table with Taylor, Sharpay, and Ryan. Apparently Sharpay had decided that they were 'worthy' enough to be her friends, since everyone else at the lodge 'isn't good enough to socialize with.'

"You know Taylor, if you just updated your wardrobe a bit you would look a lot better." Sharpay said staring intently at Taylor.

"Really? Huh." Taylor responded, not looking up from her paper, and quite obviously not listening.

"Gabriella," Sharpay said, now staring intently at her," You know what would look good on you?"

"Troy!"

"No, highlights!"

"Troy, over here!" Gabriella called as he finally walked in the dining room.

"Good morning Beautiful." He said walking over and giving her a kiss.

"Could I talk to you?" Gabriella asked nervously as he sat down next to her.

"Can it wait until later? Me, Chad, Jason, Zeke, Mitch, Jake, Colin, Edward, and Ryan if he wants are going to go play some basketball. Oh and my dad of course will be there too." Troy responded smiling at her.

"Edward, Jake, and Colin?" asked Gabriella feeling sick to her stomach.

"Yup, Colin is Jason's brother, Mitch is Zeke's brother, Edward is Sharpay's new cousin, and Jake is Edward's nephew."

"So have you met Edward?" Troy asked, looking at her happily, "He seems really cool."

"Yeah, I've met him." Gabriella said rather stonily.

"Well I've got to go." Troy responded grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl in the middle of the table.

"I just came to get something small to eat and say hello to my girl. You coming Ryan?" he said kissing her and walking away with Ryan.

"Chicken." Taylor whispered in Gabriella's ear. Gabriella grabbed the paper away from Taylor and slid it down to the other side of the table, away from Taylor so she couldn't reach it.

"Hey, you mind if I hang with you all? My boyfriend and his family are all doing other things." Kristina Hassen asked standing next to the table. Gabriella had met her the night before and thought she seemed really nice. She was rather on the short side, and definitely not that great looking, though it was apparent she thought the opposite. Sharpay obviously didn't like her, which Gabriella and Taylor found rather entertaining since the two of them had egos about the same size.

Kristina was also the girl that Gabriella had seen with Edward's nieces and nephews the night before and unfortunately was also his current girlfriend.

"Of course!" Taylor said gesturing to the empty seat next to Sharpay.

"So, Kristinga right? Have you thought of shopping somewhere besides the thrift store?" Sharpay asked smirking while eyeing Kristina's shirt.

Kristina didn't respond, but just glared at Sharpay.

* * *

**New York, New York**

**JFK International Airport**

**10:00 A.M. **

Loren was extremely tired, but exhilarated. He could not wait for it to be Tuesday the eighteenth. He was so happy to be back in the United States and out of the Middle East. He hadn't seen his family for about a year and a half due to his job. Heck, he had hardly been able to contact them at all due to how much he moved around while working. He absolutely hated that he had missed so much that had happened to his family. He couldn't wait to surprise them for Christmas. Thankfully he had come into contact with a certain Ryan Evans, so his family had no idea that he was going to be showing up. He turned around trying to figure out where Brian had gone. He laughed as he saw him on the floor of the terminal, kissing the ground.

"I love you America!" Brian yelled.

"Brian! Come on, let's get out of the airport." Loren said handing his friend his mouth wash who took it happily after he realized that he just kissed the ground that millions of people had walked on.

"No way! I'm getting Starbucks and Pizza first!" He responded pointing to the Starbucks ahead and a pizza place.

"Fine, then we are heading straight to our hotel," Loren responded. " I'll be home for Christmas and I don't care if I have to leave you behind in order to do that!"

"I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreeeaaammms!" Brian responded by singing, horribly.

"Okay seriously, you need to find a girlfriend, cause there is no way I'm taking you with me to meet my family when you're acting like this." Loren said laughing at him.

"What? Six days on the road and I'm a gonna make it home tonight." Brian sang back again, quite obviously a little too hyper for a 25 year old.

"More like 500 days." Loren muttered before Brian ran into the Starbucks at full speed, almost knocking a old lady over.

* * *

**So I bet you can't figure out what Loren and Brian's jobs are! I'm guessing you can probably figure out who Loren's family is though… it didn't turn out as mysterious as I had hoped lol. **


	10. Makes Me Wonder

**Dedicated to someone who thought harassing one of my friends via myspace was a good idea. For some reason after my friend's brother answered one of his messages he didn't reply…talk about brave.**

**So I have a couple of blogs (link on profile)out with the explanation on as to why this chapter took so bloody long to get out. There's a few reasons, my latest is that school started last Tuesday too and I screwed up my schedule about 10 times, sadly that's not an exaggeration. Sorry 'bout the wait! Oh and I actually know people who ended up in the same situation as the Evans family! **

**Makes Me Wonder – Maroon** 5

* * *

**December 16, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

**10:15 A.M.**

"Sharpay, why do we need to help you with this?" Taylor asked as she was handed a stack of flyers.

"Hello! We need to have something exciting happen while we're here, so why not have a talent show?" Sharpay answered, handing a stack to Gabriella, Ryan, Kristina, and one to her older cousin Amanda Evans.

Sharpay was almost the spitting image of her cousin. They both acted and dressed almost exactly the same. The only difference was that Amanda was a little bit taller (barefoot, not in their heels). The rather uncommon thing about the Evans family though, was that Sharpay, Ryan, and Amanda had all the same grandparents. In other words, their mothers were sisters and their fathers were brothers. Unbelievable, but true.

"Okay. Ryan and Gabriella go deliver yours to the gym and to the spa, Kristina and Amanda can deliver their's to the rooms, and Taylor and I can take ours to the people on the slopes so I can wear my new snow gear!" Sharpay said, resulting in a groan from Taylor.

"Oh good idea Shar!" Amanda said smiling and clapping in a very obnoxious way. "I can't wait to show mine off too!"

"We'll just be going now." Gabriella said, glad to have some time with Ryan, since he generally had good advice for problems, especially like her current one.

They left as quickly as possible since Taylor and Sharpay had started a shouting match over whether or not Taylor would be carrying Sharpay's portion of the flyers.

By the time they had gotten to the spa, Gabriella had only gotten about half of her story told. When they opened the door to the spa, they found the majority of the mothers in there laughing in a way that pretty much guaranteed that they were all slap happy.

"Ducky and Gabriella!" Ryan's mother Saffron, called out loudly once she spotted them near the door.

"Hi mom!" Ryan replied smiling and going over to hug her. Gabriella also spotted her mother and sent her a big smile, that she returned.

"Gabriella Montez! I haven't seen you in over a year!" Exclaimed Topanga Evans, formally Topanga Mills. She rushed over as quickly as she could, with wet nail polish on her toes, to Gabriella.

"Hi!" Gabriella responded, equally as happy as Edward's mom was to see her. She actually really liked Edward's mom. Topanga had always been nice and actually let her do more things in the Mills house than Edward was allowed to do.

"Whatever happened to you! All of a sudden Edward quit talking about you! The last thing I heard from you was a very nice get well card. Thank you by the way, but can I ask why you sent it? I wasn't sick." Topanga said after she released Gabriella from a huge hug.

"Well my mom got transferred to Albuquerque and Edward had told me that you were in the hospital the day after Christmas." Gabriella responded, trying not to burst out laughing. She had completely forgotten that she had sent a get well card. She glanced at her mother and noticed that she was also trying not to laugh.

"Well that's strange, I wasn't in the hospital. If I remember correctly, Edward, Emily, her kids, and I were at the day after Christmas day sales." She responded furrowing her brow. "Hmm I'll have to ask Edward about that. I'm glad I got to see you again though! I always had hopped that Edward would date you instead of Kristina, but what can we do?"

The color drained from Gabriella's face. Fortunately, only Ryan and Erika noticed.

"Well, we just came by to give you all some flyers fro the show that Shar decided to have." Ryan said handing them out while Gabriella was lost in her own thoughts. Ryan grabbed her arm once he was done, jerking her out of her thoughts.

"Nice to see you again Topanga!" She called before she was dragged out.

"Soo…his mom didn't even know you two were dating?" Ryan asked, watching Gabriella carefully.

"I thought she knew! I was over all the time!" Gabriella replied looking completely confused.

"We're almost to the gym, you good? Want to stay out in the hall? Remember he's in there playing basketball. I would be too, but Sharpay wanted me to help." Ryan said rolling his eyes, but still watching her with a worried look on his face.

"Yeah, I'm good…." She replied, not really listening. This just didn't make ANY sense to Gabriella. They had dated for about five months!

"Well, I promise that your day will get better. You'll be getting a surprise this afternoon." Ryan replied smiling. Gabriella looked at him curiously as they walked on.

She followed Ryan into the gym and they watched as all the guys were playing, one point away from the end of their game since they were playing to 20 points. Both teams had 19 points, and Chad had the ball.

"Go Troy!" Gabriella yelled as Troy got the ball, shot it from half court, and actually made it.

"WOOOO!!!!" Troy and Chad were yelling, arms up in the air in celebration. Troy then ran over to Ryan and Gabriella, extremely excited, and hugged and kissed Gabriella.

"Troy! You're all sweaty!" Gabriella squealed, as he spun her around in the air.

"So! You saw that incredible shot!" Troy responded excitedly and kissed her again.

"Yes I did, but my clothes didn't smell like sweat when I walked in here!" She replied, laughing as he went to kiss her again.

"You two seriously need to get a room." Ryan said laughing at the couple, who were of course, kissing once again.

* * *

"Hey, Zeke. Who's the girl with Troy?" Asked a very curious Edward, as he pointed across the gym to where Troy was spinning Gabriella once again. 

"Gabriella Montez. Why?" Zeke responded, looking up from taking off his basket ball shoes.

"Nothing, just curious. I didn't meet her last night." Edward replied with a look of realization on his face. Zeke watched Edward stare at Gabriella and Troy until Gabriella and Ryan started to pass out the flyers.

"Here Zeke!" Gabriella said excitedly, handing him a flyer. Her mood changed instantly though as she turned to Edward. She looked at him in an irritated way and shoved a flyer at him.

"Here." She said, frowning, and she walked away before either one could say anything.

Zeke watched Edward again, even more confused by his and Gabriella's behavior, as he walked away in the opposite direction.

"Makes me wonder what happened there." Chad asked Zeke as he walked up to him, the basketball under his arm.

"Good question."

* * *

**Men's Locker Room**

**10:50 A.M.**

Troy was still smiling about his shot as he changed into clean clothes so he could meet Gabriella for lunch. He was almost done changing as Edward came in and sat down next to him at his own locker.

"So it looks like you've got it made in the girlfriend department, huh?" Edward asked as he started to change also.

"I definitely do." Troy responded smiling widely. "She's the best thing to ever happen to me. Your girlfriend isn't a bad catch either."

"Nope." Edward responded, with hardly any emotion, "Your girlfriend was acting kind of strange last night. I helped her up after we accidentally ran into each other, then she got an attitude, and yelled at me. It was surprising for a girl that appears to be so down to earth." He said watching Troy like a hawk, waiting for his reaction.

"That doesn't sound like Gabriella at all." Troy responded, looking up at Edward and frowning. "Are you sure it was her? She's the nicest person I ever met."

"I definitely agree!" Zeke said as he too went to his locker and started to change.

"I'm positive. Well I'll see you guys later for the snowball fight right?" Edward asked as he slung his gym bag over his shoulder and started to walk away with a big smile on his face.

"You bet." Zeke replied since Troy seemed to be lost in his own little world.

* * *

**Oh and I promise there will be more Troyella in the next chapter lol. **


	11. Another Saturday Night

**I put a poll up on my profile for you to vote for how long y'all want this story to be. Please vote!**** Also, I put up a HSM one****shot. It's rather cute, I have to admit. Ha and back by popular demand, I'm going to be starting up the 'dedicated to someone...****'s**** again**** (go back and check chapters 8-10, I added them there too). ****I didn't realize that they were that amusing ha ****ha. ****I'm also very sorry it's taking so long between posts. All the blame goes on school! ****Oh and **I** also plan on posting a ****Valentine's day**** one-shot (possibly two shot). **

**Dedicated to someone who thinks his convertible Miata is a manly car and apparently knows less about cars than I do. Now that's extremely sad. He doesn't even know when he has a dead battery or not!**

**I obviously don't own anything you recognize, if I did, I wouldn't be here writing for free, on a site for all to see. There's a good chance that I don't own things you don't recognize either. Sigh, but I do own Edward. I think I'll put him on ebay and see how much I can get. **

**Another Saturday Night – Sam Cooke**

* * *

**December 16, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**** Lobby**

**11:00 A****.M.**

"Hey! Ryan, wait up!" Zeke called as ran towards Ryan who had stopped and turned around.

"What's up Zeke?" Ryan asked as he caught up with him. The two started walking again.

"I was just wondering what you know about Edward Mills. He seems rather suspicious."

"Ah yes…I know some things that I'm not allowed to tell. Everything else thought I'm willing to tell you." Ryan replied looking a little bit nervous. Zeke looked at him very suspiciously.

"Who told you these things that you're not allowed to say?"

"I highly doubt I'm allowed to tell you that even." Ryan said looking guilty.

"Is it just me or does he seem to have something against Troy and Gabriella?" Zeke asked knowing that Ryan either kept his secrets really well or spilled them easily. So he was going to do his best to get him to spill.

"It's not just you probably." Ryan replied and immediately regretted it.

"You were passing out fliers with Gabi today right?" Zeke asked watching Ryan carefully as they kept walking.

"Yes, why?" Ryan asked confused.

"What were you talking about?" Zeke asked.

"Her and Edward."

"Ah. How does she know Edward?" Zeke asked, smiling triumphantly.

"No comment." Ryan responded, glad he at least kept part of the secret. "Please don't say anything to anyone else though!"

"Ok, but what's with him? Zeke said agreeing, but still very curious.

"Basically he's an idiot and a cheater."

"Hm. Ok so why was Gabi so mean to him?" "No comment, but Gabi probably won't be so unhappy later today." Ryan replied smiling widely.

**Snowflake Hills Lodge Dining Room **

**11:30 A.****M.**

"So are you two going to be doing anything for the talent show?" Taylor asked Gabriella and Troy, who were sitting across from her and Chad. The four of them were eating lunch together before the huge snowball fight that was that afternoon.

"No, no, no! I've done enough singing for a while!" Troy responded shaking his head.

"Oh come on Troy! It's Christmas! It's either this or we're doing karaoke to a song we haven't practiced!" Gabriella said, really wanting to do it. She thought it would be something good to get her mind of a certain idiot.

"All of the girls are doing something together." Taylor said excited. Chad rolled his eyes.

"I think all of the guys should do something together too." Gabriella said, just wanting to see Chad's reaction.

"Heck no! I don't dance or sing." Chad said shaking his head wildly. Gabriella and Taylor tried to repress their giggle as he continued to rant, Troy joining in at some parts. Taking advantage of the boys attention on ranting, Taylor looked at Gabriella and mouthed 'Have you told him?'

'No.' Gabriella mouthed back frowning. Didn't Taylor realize how hard this would be to explain?

'Do it now!' Taylor replied back and then tapping Chad on the shoulder.

"Chad, come on lets go. I wanted to show you something." Taylor said standing up and pulling hard on her boyfriend's sleeve.

"Uh ok, can I bring my lunch?" He asked in true Chad style. Taylor rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, just come on!" She responded pulling him away. Gabriella watched Troy as he watched the two leave.

"Troy, I've got to tell you something." Gabriella said turning around in her chair to face his.

"What? Is something wrong?" Troy asked, also turning, and noticing the look on her face.

_"Thanks for making__ the picnic Gabriella." Edward said as they both stood next to her car. _

_"Well you hadn't ever been on a picnic and that's just wrong." She replied smiling. __She should have left the park half an hour ago since she had to go to church with her mom in twenty minutes, but she just couldn't. She wanted to spend more time with him and couldn't help it. She for the first time in her __life,__ actually liked a guy and he liked her back. __Heck, she had even admitted it to him after much prompting from her new friend that she had made here in Michigan. _

_"So you said that you had a question that you wanted to ask me today?" __Gabriella__ asked, extremely nervous, hoping it was the question she thought it was. _

_"Yeah, I completely forgot about that." Edward responded laughing nervously and changing the subject. She let him ramble on about who knows what before she opened her car door, sat down, and turned on the __car, which also turned on the __radio__ of course__. One of her favorite songs was on, Another Saturday __Night ,__ by Sam Cooke. _

_"Edward, seriously what was the question?" She asked, getting rather annoyed, especially since she really couldn't wait any longer. _

_"__Maybe I should just wait until tomorrow at school so the anticipation can build." Edward said laughing nervously again. Gabriella gave him a look that plainly said 'tell me now or I'll strangle you__ and then proceed to run you over__.' He coughed nervously the__n asked "Will you be my girlfriend__?" _

_Gabriella gave him a shy smile and then answered with a quiet "Yes." He smiled back. _

_"Well I guess I won't be having one of those Saturday nights where I don't have __nobody__." She said happily. _

_"What?" Edward asked very confused. _

_"Oh, it's just the song on the radio, it's a great song, __you__ should listen to it sometime. It's about a guy moving to a new place and he doesn't know anyone so he's sitting at home alone on Saturday night with no date. Huh, actually describes my life pretty well up until now." Gabriella said with a look of realization on her face. _

_"Funny how those things work out huh?" Edward said __moving__ a little closer to her. _

_"Yup."__ She said going back to being shy, then remembering something. "Edward, I've got to tell you something." _

_"What?" He asked, still smiling._

_"There's a good chance that I'll move again__ soon__." _

"Helllooo, Gabriella?" Troy said waving a hand in front of her face. Why was she acting so weird these last couple of days?

"Sorry, just remembered something." Gabriella said, mentally slapping herself for thinking of that at this particular moment.

"Okay…" Troy said, then remembering something, "Hey Edward said something about you being mean to him yesterday. I'm guessing it's not true, but I'm just curious as to what happened."

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about actually." Gabriella replied. Annoyingly, the fact that he had hit the nail on the head before she had said anything was making it harder for her.

"Troy, Gabriella! The snowball fight is starting!" Yelled a very excited Chad from across the large room. Taylor looked at him disapprovingly before hitting him on the shoulder, resulting in a just as loud yell of 'Ow!'

"Sometimes, I seriously sit and wonder how they like each other." Troy said, forgetting about their conversation moments before and standing up.

"Yeah…" Gabriella responded, mad at herself for chickening out and mad at Chad. The two of them followed Taylor and Chad out.

The rules for the snowball fight were simple: boys vs. girls and don't hit the little kids with the snowballs hard. Everyone but the employees, Sharpay, her cousin Amanda, and some of the parents were in on the fight.

Gabriella was having a great time, but was still having issues since she hadn't told Troy yet. She was pelting snowballs at Chad's back, when all of a sudden she was hit with one from behind. She turned to find Edward and his oldest nephew Jake standing beside a huge pile of snowballs.

"Gah!" She half yelled and started making a snowball. She looked up from finishing her perfect snowball to see a snowball hit both Edward and Jake in the face. She laughed loudly as they attempted to get all the snow off.

"Now was that a perfect hit or what?" Taylor yelled loudly from about ten feet away. She was standing with Ryan, who had a very satisfied grin. Gabriella ran over as well as she could in snow to the two.

"I thought it was boys vs. girls?" She asked Ryan as he threw another one that also hit Edward.

"Well, he's acting like a girl, that's got to count for something. I heard he's been causing drama. Have you told Troy yet?" Ryan replied.

"No, not yet. I was about to, but Chad-"

"No need to finish your sentence." Ryan replied laughing. "Here, I know how to fix this." He grabbed Gabriella and dragged her off, causing her to squeak in surprise.

"Troy! I'm leaving you in charge of our hostage!" Ryan yelled as he continued dragging Gabriella.

"Awesome, she's a beautiful hostage too." Troy said throwing his snowball to Chad, who in turn threw it at his older sister.

Troy grabbed her arm once she and Ryan got close enough and kissed her.

"Your lips are cold." He said after they broke away from each other.

"Well, we are having a snowball fight." She replied laughing.

"True." He replied picking her up and dropping her in a huge pile of snow. She squealed in surprise, but quickly recovered and made a snowball and threw it at him before he could do anything else.

"Hey! You're the hostage not me!" He said getting on his knees, then pulling her up to his level, and then kissing her again. She reveled in the kiss, knowing it might be the last one after what she was about to tell him.

"Did you know that I really like you?" Troy asked smiling.

"I think I had an inkling." She said smiling back as the two of them stood up. He hugged her tightly.

"Troy, we never finished what we were talking about earlier." She said after they broke away.

"Oh yeah, we didn't huh?"

She was about to answer again, but he kissed her again.

"Ok, now tell me. " He said smiling, facing her, and holding both of her hands as well as he could with his gloves on.

"Well you see Edward-" Gabriella started, but was rudely interrupted by a snowball to the back of the head.

She whipped around, about to yell at whoever it was, but then gasped in surprise.

* * *

**Woo! Longest chapter so far! **


	12. Kodachrome

**Dedicated to someone****who ****recently ****came into my mom's work and wouldn't go farther than two feet from the door.**** Apparently the whole being near the exit thing was working for him. Ha. **

**I would've had this chapter out sooner, but lucky ****me****, I once again****, have a major health problem that a 60 year old should have, not someone who is almost twenty. Joy. So I'm very sorry if it takes me forever in between updating. ****If you're actually interested enough to find out what's wrong with me, I posted it on my blog**** (link on profile)**

**I**** obviously don't own Kodachrome. If I did, I'm certain that I would already be a professional photographer, have a job, I'd own Kodak, or I'd be related to Paul Simon, which I definitely wouldn't complain about. ****I also don't own Jersey ****Boys,**** otherwise I would know Frankie ****Valli****, which I would definitely be broadcasting for everyone to know****lol**

**Kodachrome – Paul Simon**

* * *

**December 16, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

** 12:00 P.M.**

"Hey you! Quit kissing my little Kodachrome!" Yelled someone that Gabriella hadn't seen in a year and a half, let alone hardly talked to.

"Dad!" Gabriella yelled happily, scrambling to get up. Once she finally did she ran into his open arms and he swung her around.

"Hey baby girl! " Replied Loren Montez as he set down his daughter, well tried to set her down. She wouldn't let go.

"You're home!" She said jumping up and down, but still holding on as if he was going to disappear.

"I'm home! It's nice to be somewhere where everyone doesn't want to kill you." He replied laughing at the way she was acting.

"How long are you back for?" Gabriella asked, looking up at him with a slight frown.

"Forever Kodachrome! We've decided to open up our own business in Albuquerque. I need to spend more time with my family and not as much with my crazy partner." He said gesturing towards Brian who was standing about ten feet away watching and listening.

"Hey it's not my fault that you're twice my age!" Brian said crossing his arms over his chest in a huff.

"So who's the boy?" Loren asked looking at Troy menacingly. Troy was still sitting in the snow looking rather shocked.

"Oh! That's Troy! Troy come here!" Gabriella said laughing at the tone of her father's voice and the look on Troy's face. Troy got up and walked over rather cautiously.

"Daddy, this is Troy Bolton, my boyfriend. Troy, this is my dad, Loren Montez." She said beaming at the two of them.

"It's nice to meet you sir." Troy said, being the perfect boyfriend.

"Nice to meet you too. I trust that you're taking good care of my little Kodachrome right?" Loren replied, cutting to the chase.

"Uh, Kodachrome?" Troy asked confused.

"Gabriella here. She wears nice bright colors and her mama took all of my Kodachrome away years ago. Now answer the question and then go listen to the song."

"Most definitely sir. I couldn't ever hurt her, she's the most important thing in my life." Troy responded bravely and kind of confused about Loren's response.

"Daddy!" Gabriella reprimanded.

"I'm Brian, Loren's partner." He cut in, offering his hand to Troy who shook it, glad of the interruption.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Troy."

"You look very photogenic, are you?" Brian asked walking around Troy.

"Uhh…excuse me?" Troy responded, not as glad to meet Brian as he thought. Gabriella glared at her dad, attempting to get him to help Troy. He didn't plan on helping the boy that stole his daughter's heart anytime soon though.

"So where's your mom? I plan on surprising her too." Loren asked as he looked around a few hundred feet away where the snowball fight was.

"You mean she didn't know you were coming?" Gabriella asked as Brian continued to circle a rather scared Troy.

"Nope, only one person knew I was coming here." Loren responded watching Troy squirm, for once actually glad that his partner isn't exactly socially inept.

"Who?" Gabriella asked, extremely confused. How could someone have contact with him? He's been moving around the Middle East so much that it was virtually impossible to keep in contact. She stole a look at Troy and grabbed his hand to help easy his pain a little bit.

"Someone named Ryan. He answered the phone at the house because I believe you and your mom were busy or something and he arranged for me to come here since he said you were coming here. We were suppose to get here on Tuesday, but we had to get earlier flights because of the weather." Loren replied.

"Well I think that mom is over there. " She replied pointing towards the group of adults involved in the snowball fight.

"Perfect, I can sneak up behind her too." He said starting to walk towards her.

"Dad!" Gabriella said putting her hands on her hips.

"Brian!" Loren yelled causing Brian to quit circling and follow him.

"I can't believe he's here! Where's Ryan? I've got to go thank him!"

**December 17, 2007**

**Silverton, Colorado **

**10:00 A.M.**

"We finally got away from Sharpay and Amanda!" Crystal McKessie exclaimed happily as she, Gabriella, Taylor, Kelsi, and Teal, Chad's older sister walked out of an alley that they had to go through in order to get away. The Sharpay and Amanda had been dragging the rest through all of the expensive stores in town that they couldn't afford anything in. Now they could finally go to stores that they could afford. Not to mention they had to meet the boys in two hours and would prefer that Sharpay and Amanda weren't there.

The girls had decided to take one of the other's boyfriends and help them shop. Taylor and Kelsi's birthday presents from Chad and Jason had been proof enough that the boys needed help (a dictionary for Taylor and a cat figurine for Kelsi, that is until Gabriella helped the two out and got Chad to take Taylor out to dinner at a fancy restaurant and Jason to buy the soundtrack and sheet music to Jersey Boys). Troy on the other hand had done pretty well with buying Gabriella a twenty five dollar gift card to Barnes and Nobel, roses, and a sterling silver bracelet with her name on it.

"So what store shall we go to first?" Gabriella said as they looked at all the stores on the street they had escaped to that had much better shopping for their price range. They all ended up wanting to go to different stores and agreed to meet up in an hour. Both Gabriella and Taylor had already gotten all of their Christmas gifts so the two decided to wander the stores.

"So make it clear to Chad this time that I definitely don't want a book. Sure I like books, but I don't want one from my boyfriend for Christmas. A book from you it'd be fine, but not from him." Taylor said as they walked into a clothing store. Gabriella laughed.

"I assure you that he won't buy you another dictionary. Oh I really like this shirt!" she replied getting distracted.

"That would be a really cute shirt on you. You should totally try it on." Taylor said smiling.

"I believe I will." Gabriella said, trying to find the changing rooms.

"There they are." Taylor said pointing at them, seeing that they were on the opposite side of the store.

"So how did Troy take the news yesterday?"

"Uhh…" Gabriella responded, face going pale.

"You didn't tell him!? Even after all that Ryan and I did!" Taylor said almost yelling.

"I was half way through my opening sentence, and then my dad hit me in the back with the snowball! I had completely forgotten until you said that because I was so preoccupied with my dad! I haven't seen him in _so_ long and I was worrying constantly that my mom was going to be getting a call saying he was killed while loading his film or something! He was in Iraq for heaven's sake Taylor! He wasn't in the military, but he was still over there taking pictures of everything going on! " Gabriella said rather annoyed. She wasn't sure if she was annoyed at herself, Taylor, or both.

"Sorry Gabriella, but you really need to quit procrastinating and tell Troy or this could have a very bad ending!" Taylor responded apologetically as they continued walking towards the changing rooms.

"It's okay, I'm just really confused about pretty much everything right now."

"I know, but promise me you'll tell him today."

"I promise." Gabriella said as they reached the dressing rooms that seemed to be empty. They both jumped when they heard some noises. Taylor and Gabriella just looked at each other with funny looks as they continued to listen.

"Oh Kristina.."

"I love your muscles Willard." Said a voice that both Taylor and Gabriella were pretty positive was Edward's Kristina.

"Come on." Gabriella mouthed to Taylor as they exited the dressing room quietly.

"Wow and ew!" Taylor said once they had reached a far enough distance away that the two wouldn't hear them.

"Yeah, imagine that. Edward is being cheated on. " Gabriella said sarcastically. "Talk about karma. I say we wait and make sure it's her, I have to admit it would be fun to tell him."

"Ha, maybe I should tell him instead, otherwise he might think you're just trying to get him back. You can always watch." Taylor said laughing.

"True." Gabriella said. They looked around at the clothes for a few minutes before a guy came out of the changing rooms, not exactly looking innocent.

"I have to admit, he is hot." Taylor said, as the two watched 'Willard' strut out. About a minute later, Kristina also walked out with perfect makeup and clothes straight.

"I'm not sure how much more drama I can take on this trip!" Gabriella said as she watched Kristina walk out of the store.

* * *

**So please go vote on my poll about how long this story should be if you haven't already (on profile). Oh and I have a Valentine's Day two-shot up too. ****Thanks for reading! **


	13. Big Girls Don't Cry

**Dedicated to someone ****whose**** significant other turns bright red when I'm mentioned. I wonder how red she'd turn if I said ****'****hi****'****to him when they were together...****You think she might even turn purple? Oh the possibilities!**

**Big Girls Don't Cry – Frankie ****Valli**** and the Four Seasons**

* * *

**December 17, 2007**

**Silverton, Colorado **

**10:00 A.M.**

"Chad! Taylor wouldn't want a Spanish dictionary! I'm serious!" Gabriella practically yelled as she stood in a book store with him, Crystal, his mom, and his two sisters, Willow and Teal.

"Why not?" Chad asked, apparently extremely confused as to why not.

"You're such an idiot! She wants something like a necklace, anything but a book!" Teal said hitting her brother upside the head.

"Don't hit your brother!" Zoe Danforth said reprimanding her daughter, "Chad, the girls are right though. When a guy gives a girl something, it has to have meaning."

"What if I give her a leather bound journal?" Chad asked as all the girls groaned.

"At least he's getting a little closer." Crystal muttered to Gabriella. She laughed.

"Even I know that a dictionary is a bad gift and I'm ten!" Willow said glaring at her brother.

"Chad, how about this, you get her the journal and jewelry or something like that." Gabriella tried desperately. There was no way out of talking him out of a book or journal at this point since they'd been having this conversation for half an hour. Chad looked very unsure.

"Chad if you don't say yes, we're going to buy a gift for you and then put your name on it without you knowing what it is." Teal said putting her hand on her hip and taking the dictionary out of his hands with her other hand.

"Here, I know something that she would like over there. How about I take you over there and let you figure out what it is, that way we can say it was your idea even. Sound good?" Crystal asked and all four girls hoped that he would say okay.

"I guess." He answered dejectedly. He wanted to do this on his own, but he knew he was horrible at it. Crystal and his sisters dragged him over to another section.

"Having issues convincing him again?" Troy asked coming up behind the girls with his parents. "It's Chad, what do you expect?" Zoe responded shaking her head while watching her son on the other side of the store pointing at random things. "Thank goodness you're his best friend, who knows what he would be doing if you and Taylor weren't there to keep him in line."

Troy smiled as Chad's mom and his parents started to talk.

"Hey." He said wrapping his arms around Gabriella from behind.

"Hey." She replied smiling.

"Do you want to have dinner tonight?" He asked as she turned around in his arms.

"Sure, we could have it in my room if you want, I have my own now since my dad is back."

"Sounds good." He responded kissing her. They pulled away suddenly as Crystal and Teal came back over.

"Chad somehow found a Spanish, Latin, French, German, Chinese, Hebrew, Russian, and Greek

Dictionary set. Get your money out because it costs $100 and that's all the money he has. So we need to pool our money together and get Taylor something else and write his name on it after we burn the dictionaries." Said Teal exasperatedly rolling her eyes.

"It's not my fault that Taylor said she wanted a fountain pen and someone had just happened to leave the dictionaries there!" Crystal said shaking her head.

**December 17, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

**8:00 P.M.**

"That was a good dinner." Troy said as he put his napkin on his empty plate. "You okay though? You've been rather quiet." Troy asked looking at Gabriella who was sitting opposite of him at the small table in her room. She too put her napkin on her plate that still had most of her food on it. She wasn't exactly hungry.

"Well, I never finished telling you something the other day." She responded looking at her hands in her lap. She jumped as he put his hand under her chin and lifted it up to look at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked gently.

"Let's go sit on the bed." Gabriella said, stalling for time, and figuring she could be at least sitting on something more comfortable.

"Okay." Troy said taking her hand and leading her to it. The two of them sat down facing each other, both sitting Indian style.

"Shoot." Troy said smiling.

"Well, first off, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I've been rather scared." Gabriella said nervously. Troy raised his eyebrows.

"You know how I said that you were my first boyfriend?" She asked with a pained look on her face.

"Yes…." Troy said, assuming that he wasn't going to like where this conversation was going.

"Well… that isn't exactly true. I had another boyfriend, but when I met you, I was currently trying not to remember him at all. He didn't exactly treat me well."

By this time she was looking at her hands in her lap, not daring to look at Troy.

"He didn't physically abuse me or anything, he just…he just…didn't really care at all. He wouldn't see or call me pretty much at all after the first couple of months. He always promised things, but always broke the promises. I, being the nice person I am, looked past that and let him get away with it. After seven months he broke up with me over email. He had actually come over the day before too. It was Christmas, he was two and a half hours late and didn't even get me a present after I had spent about twenty hours on making his. I moved a day later. That's why I never told you. I didn't really consider him a boyfriend after he treated me like dirt. After that I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let another guy treat me like that." She shuddered before she continued and finally looked Troy in the eyes. "His name is Edward Mills."

_"Do you trust me?" Edward asked as they stood by Gabriella'__s car in front of his house since his mom had taken away his driver's license five months ago and hadn't let him have it back. Well that was at least what he had told Gabriella._

_"Obviously, if I didn't why would I be your girlfriend?" She asked as she hugged him tighte__r and rolled her eyes_

_"Fall back__wards__ and let me catch you then." He said smiling and letting go of her. _

_"Why? Don't you believe me?__" She asked, rather confused at his antics. _

_"Why won't you prove it?" He asked smirking. _

_"Fine, whatever."__ She said rolling her eyes again and turning around. _

_"Here I'll even hold your arms when you fall. __That make__ you feel better?" He asked sarcastically, holding her arms tightly. _

_"Yes I feel oh so much better." She responded just as sarcastic. She fell backwards, but couldn't help but move her legs backwards to catch herself. _

_"See, you don't trust me." He said laughing. _

_"It's a natural human instinct!" Gabriella exclaimed. "I'd like to see you do it and not try and catch yourself! It's just like every time you flick your fingers in my face to get me to flinch! I flinch every time!" She finished saying which of course he responded with flicking his fingers in her face, making her flinch. _

_Deep down, Gabriella did know that she didn't completely trust him. She just wasn't willing to admit it to herself. _

Troy sat there stunned. His girlfriend, the girl who NEVER lied to anyone, had lied to him. His eyes started to water, but he was not going to cry. Especially in front of her right now.

"Edward Mills as in Sharpay's cousin?" He said after about a minute of silence.

"Yes," Gabriella said, trying not to cry herself. She was finding it very hard not to.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Troy asked, his face unreadable.

"I was afraid that you would break up with me." Gabriella whispered, her tears falling now.

"Well," He said taking a big breath and letting it out before continuing. "Maybe that would be best right now since I'm not sure if I can trust you."

"I'm sorry. I promise, that was the only lie I ever told you. Except for when I told you that I'm not ticklish." She said, knowing that it wouldn't make a difference.

Troy got up and walked out of the room and did his best not to look back. As the door softly closed Gabriella let her emotions take control and started to sob uncontrollably. She picked up her cell phone and slowly dialed a number.

* * *

**So I'm willing to bet that at least ninety**** five**** percent of my readers hate me at the moment after that huge cliffy lol. ****I can pretty much guarantee that what is going to happen in the next chapter isn't ****exactly ****what you're expecting**** (well except for Alyssa since she brainstormed with me****, thank you****. Usually I'd ****be willing to ****give you a hint as to what is about to happen, but not this time. Let me have some fun****lol****, I have to go under a anesthetic ****tomorrow****pathetic excuse I know)****Oh and go vote on my profile please! I'd really ****like to know what you guys want****Oh and I know this is out really soon after the last ****ch****, but what can I say? I had a four day weekend. **


	14. I Think I Love You

**Dedicated to someone who even though I haven't talked to in over a year, I still hear about and know about a lot of his life. Which generally proves to be amusing since I've heard he and his girlfriend (he's 18 she's 15) plan on getting married and she's even gotten a promise ring**** (I also heard it is hideous)****. You have no idea how much self restraint it took not to roll my eyes and ****burst**** out laughing hysterically when I heard about ****all of ****that. **

**So if my couple scenes suck, I'm sorry. But I don't exactly have much experience in that department, so that would be why. **

**I think I love you ****- The**** Partridge Family**

* * *

**December 17, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

**8:20**** P.M.**

"So what do you know about this _boy_?" Loren asked his wife as they walked in the snow and moonlight together, arms hooked, drinking hot chocolate, and completely bundled up.

"I know that he's the ideal boyfriend for our daughter. Although, they might be going through a little rough patch after tonight. She was going to tell him something she should've told him about a year ago." Erika responded looking up at her husband. She couldn't believe he was finally back.

"What's so great about him?" Loren asked, not wanting to like him still.

"He treats Gabi better than himself. It's ridiculous. I wish you had treated me that good." She said laughing as her husband gave her a dirty look and unhooked his arm from her own.

"I'm kidding, I love you. I'm so glad you're home safe." She said reaching up to kiss him as he smiled and put his arm around her shoulders.

* * *

Taylor walked as quickly as she could down the hall. She didn't even notice at first when she past Troy who was sitting on the ground about 30 feet away from Gabriella's door. She did a double take and went back to him and noticed he was crying.

"Troy?" She asked tentatively, not sure if she should talk to him if he was crying. Guys were weird not wanting girls to know they were crying. He looked up, not trying to hide his tears at all. Now that's what Taylor considered a real man.

"She lied." He whispered.

"I know Hun, but she was really hurt by Edward and didn't want to relive it." Taylor responded sitting in front of him so they were facing each other.

"Gabi doesn't lie though." He said, looking at his hands.

"Would it make it better if I told you that we saw his girlfriend cheating on him earlier today?" Taylor asked, desperately hoping she could fix this before she even got to talk to Gabriella.

He didn't even make a move to acknowledge that he heard her, just continued to stare at his hands.

_"I'm sorry I couldn't come over tonight, my sister decided to go play pool with her friends and made me watch her kids." Edward said apologetically into the phone. All he got was silence on the other end of the phone. _

_"Gabi?__ You mad at me__? ...Gabriella?" _

_"You ditched me so your sister could go play pool?" __she__ responded in an icy tone. "Funny, but last weekend I heard this same story too except she went out to a party. Are you the full time baby sitter or the__ir__ uncle?" _

_"I'm sorry, it's true." He responded in a hard to read voice. "Do you want to come over now? __No one's home but me."_

_"Fine, whatever."__ She responded before hanging up on him and grabbing a letter she had wrote him that said something she had planned on telling him when he was suppose to come over. _

_"Mom I'll be back soon, I'm going over to Edward's for a min." She said grabbing her purse and keys. _

_"Drive safe!" Her mom replied from her seat on the couch where she was watching Dancing with the Stars. Maybe she should've talked to her mom about what she was going to do first. Nah, what could go wrong? __He seemed pretty obvious by the way he was acting. _

"It's open." Gabriella responded between sobs to the knock on her door. She was lying on her bed, hugging one of her pillows facing away from the door, just staring at the opposite wall. Whoever the person was didn't make any noise and Gabriella had started to wonder at first if anyone was there before she felt the bed move. She felt the person lay down next to her and then hug her.

"I love you."

_"So I was going to tell you something tonight but since you didn't come you get this instead." Gabriella replied rather icily. Edward took the note written in __neat __cursive that she handed him from where she was sitting on the hood of her car in front of his house. His face was unreadable as he read the note very slowly. _

_Dear Edward, _

_So I'm pretty mad at the moment, but give me a couple more hours and I'm sure that I won't be anymore. Too bad, I wish I could stay mad. It's rather annoying how I can't. That's not what I wanted to say in this letter though. I've been thinking about you and the last five months we've been together. I've come to the conclusion that I think I love you. Please don't say anything back if you don't think the same about me. _

_Your one and only,_

_Gabriella_

_"Gabriella…." Edward said as she stared at her feet hanging off her car. She didn't like the sound of his voice at all. "I'm sorry but I can't say__ the same. At least I can't say it__ yet__." _

_"Okay." She respon__ded still staring at her feet. __"__I've__ got to go then, I'll talk to you later." _

_"No, stay please." He said sincerely looking her in the eyes as she finally looked up. He helped her off the car and hugged her. _

_"How about we go to the football game this Friday at school?" _

_"Sure." She mumbled, not realizing she had agreed to go watch a sport she hated. _

"Seriously?" Gabriella asked turning around in the arms of her favorite person in the whole world. She had the biggest smile on her tear stained face that she had ever had.

"Seriously." Troy said smiling slightly.

"I love you too." Gabriella responded, hugging him back and kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

"I'm sorry." She said once they were finished.

"Me too. We need to be able to tell one another everything. Anything else you were hiding?" Troy asked seriously holding her closer to him with one arm and whipping her tears away with his opposite hand.

"No, just that I _really _don't like Edward."

"I kind of gathered that. Now that we settled that, I need to ask you something else."

"What?" Gabriella asked confused.

"Will you be my girlfriend Gabriella Montez?" Troy asked smiling widely.

"Yes, but only because I love you." She responded. She hadn't felt this happy in a very long time. She had her dad home, her boyfriend loved her, and it was almost Christmas. How much better could life get?

_"Gabriella are you okay? You don't quite seem right." Edward asked as she parked outside of his house. They had just left the football game and she had been fidgeting throughout the whole thing. _

_"Yeah, I'm fine. I just haven't been that hungry and sleeping that well this week. I've had a lot of things on my mind." She replied looking straight ahead at the steering wheel. She looked like she could barely stay awake and was extremely pale. _

_"I've had a lot of things on my mind too." He replied._

_Edward Mills was not a complete idiot. He could tell that his girlfriend was really torn up about what had happened earlier on in the week between the two of them. At this point he wouldn't be surprised if she would fall asleep while driving on her way home unless he did something about it, and he really didn't want to be responsible for her death. _

_"Gabi?"_

_"Yes?" She asked__ actually __having to resort__ to putting her head on the steering wheel and closing her eyes. _

_"I love you." Edward said. _

_Gabriella remained still for a minute. She was just tired enough for it not to sink in for awhile as to what he had just said. She finally lifted her head off of the steering wheel and looked at him. _

_"I love you too." She replied quietly and hugged him. __She was happy now and__ irritated knowing that__ there was no way she'd be able to fall asleep right away that night__ now.   
_

* * *

**So only 7 people voted on my poll****….**** I'm just going to close it and just see where the story goes. Does anyone think that there should be a sequel? If so, speak now (so I can start thinking of ideas), otherwise I don't plan on it. I'll put it as a poll on my profile, even though ****apparently ****most people won'****t vote. ****If you have any suggestions for this story or the sequel if you want one, I'll willingly take them! If I use it I promise to acknowledge you also. ****  
**

**Thanks for reading! ****I hope this chapter wasn't too confusing with all of the flashbacks. Don't you just wish you could have ****a**** Edward to take home (attempts not to roll eyes)? ****Just wait until the next few chapters. He has a few more surprises. **

**Oh and hey! Guess what? I've been a member of this site for three years now (well three years and a day technically)! **


	15. Crash and Burn

**Dedicated to someone who refused to sign my SENIOR yearbook and missed my graduation (he gets a bit of slack on the graduation part...he was visiting family). What kind of a boyfriend does that!? Especially when they hadn't signed any of your other ones! Makes me rather suspicious now, especially since that was only a month into the relationship….**

**So announcement time! From now on it's not going to be just me writing the story! My ****bff**** Alyssa (see ****my ****profile for her stories) is going to be helping**** (more than she already was that is)****! She was there for me throughout my whole time with the real ****'****Edward****'****, so she knows the story pretty well already. **

**Hello. I'm Alyssa. ****lol**** I just want to add that we are writing a sequel and we have it started for once we finish LC.**

**We only got 7 votes (all for ****the sequel), so it's a go****! It's going to be called Band of Gold (yes, once again it's a song, I suggest you go look it up, it's a classic**** and most played on my iPod ha**

**Crash and Burn – Savage Garden**

* * *

_Gabi, _

_Hey Girl, How have you been down in the Sunny Southwest? LOL I've been good. Still no Boyfriend, You still have me beat there with your Troy. How is he by the way? I __still__ would like to meet him.__Anyways, So I just got my acceptance letter to __The International Academy of Design & Technology__ down in Detroit. I'm going to be a Photographer! Do you think your dad would give me my first job? Ha__ha__, j/k, j/k__Oh, __gtg__, Mom wants me to make dinner. Merry Christmas!__The only frien__d you kept in contact with after__ moving, _

_Abby._

Dear Abby,

Hey! I miss you! You know how the only reason I didn't really want to go visit you was because Edward was there? Well no worries there. He's actually here and has been causing a whole bunch of drama. It's been oh so fun. You know how I told you that I was going to Colorado for Christmas to be with my friends? Well Ryan and Sharpay's (drama queen) new aunt is his mom! Then my dad showed up! It's been so hectic I'm going to have to call you and tell you the whole story! Basically Troy's an angel and Edward is something that I can't say since I don't cuss. I can't wait until you find your own Troy! Merry Christmas to you too! Love your bff,

Gabi

_Gabi_

_Wow, Ed is down there? __How__ unexpected. His mom told me she was getting married again but __I__ would have never thought you'd bump into him again like that. __You__ have to call me now. My c__ell is new, but __it's__ the same number. I'll expect to hear from you soon, and don't leave anything out!_

_Abby_

_P.S. Somehow I got roped into doing the Spring Musical. I told Mrs. C I don't do the Musicals, but s__he wouldn't listen. I miss the n__on musical plays. This one is The Sound of __Music. I'm playing __Liesl__. Fun, __h__u__? Let__ me ask you something, when you and Troy got in a musical, how'd you warm up your voice so you wouldn't __loose__ it __while__ singing?_

**December 18****, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

** 9:30 A****.M.**

"Hey." Troy said walking into Gabriella's room to see her sitting at the desk in the room with her laptop in front of her. She was typing away furiously at it.

"Hey!" She said, not looking up from her computer. Troy walked over and sat on her bed that was next to the desk. He dropped a bag in front of her and placing a cup of tea next to it.

"What's this?" She asked looking up from her typing.

"Your breakfast, I didn't see you there so I brought you some." He replied smiling at how cute she looked while typing so fast.

"Breakfast? What time is it?" Gabriella asked, glancing at the clock in the corner of her computer, "Oh wow, I didn't realize the time. I'm sorry, were you waiting for me?" she apologized."It's fine, Gabi, What are you doing?" he asked attempting to read over her shoulder."I'm e-mailing Abby, My Best friend from Michigan." she said, hitting the send button and finally looking up at Troy and smiling, "So what'd you bring me?" she asked grabbing the bag of breakfast he had brought her and sipping the tea.

"A bagel, barely before Sharpay saw me. She was yelling at the servers about how they should never serve bagels since they have so much fat in them." Troy responded as Gabriella handed him one of the bagels.

"Thank you. I honestly could care less about the fat content of the bagels." She responded taking a bite. "Where's your drink?"

"Sharpay threw my coffee at the waiter." He responded as it was nothing.

"Why didn't you call me!?" Gabriella responded incredulously.

"Chad recorded it on his phone and sent it to me." Troy responded laughing as he handed his phone to her.

"I'm putting this on YouTube for sure." Gabriella said laughing as she watched.

"Well I've got to go. Me and the guys have something we need to do. I'll send the movie to you on my way." He responded taking his phone and kissing her.

"I love you." Gabriella said with a huge smile.

"I love you too." Troy replied as he got up and walked out of the room.

**9:50 A.M**

**Lodge Gymnasium**

Edward dribbled a basketball and shot it. The ball went through the hoop with a swoosh.

"Edward, Remember when Gabi lived in Michigan?" His mother asked him as he retrieved the ball. She sat in the bleachers looking at a photo album.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, when she left, she sent me a get well card, why would she do that?" She asked at he shot the ball again, the ball bounced off the rim and away from the basket.

"Search me, I don't know what she was thinking, it's not like we were dating or anything." he said grabbing the ball before it got too far away.

"Too bad, I really like her. I wouldn't mind her as a daughter-in-law."

"Mom!" Edward yelled, horrified that his mom was even thinking of that.

"Let me dream Ed." Topanga Evans said before walking out of the gym.

"Oh dear Lord." Edward said rolling his eyes as he continued to shoot hoops. Too bad Gabriella was always a one guy kind of girl or else he'd be after her even more than he was currently. He figured he could just keep annoying her and Troy to make her paranoid at this point. It seemed to be working, so where's the trouble? She obviously hadn't told Troy about him and he doubted that _little _Gabriella Montez had enough guts to do it.

"Hey, just the guy we were looking for." Said Chad as he walked in the gym with Troy, Jason, Ryan, and Zeke.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Edward said happily.

"Well we just needed to talk to you about some things." Zeke said crossing his arms as they all walked up to Edward who was getting a little worried. They all seemed to be taller than before and had rather upset looks on their faces.

"Well you see, we know this girl that most of us consider as good as a sister." Ryan said putting his hands on his hips and glancing at Troy.

"We've recently learned that her previous boyfriend didn't treat her well." Jason said. No one but Edward had noticed that the other guys had somehow ended up in a line with Troy in the middle, all with their arms crossed across their chests, with the exception of Ryan with his hands on his hips. If he hadn't been so scared of these guys he would have been laughing at Ryan's pose.

"How dare you treat Gabriella that way!" Chad said angrily, not being able to stand it.

"Chad, shut up. It's my turn." Troy said before anyone else could say anything.

"How dare you hurt Gabriella Montez that way! You have no idea what you have missed out on. Who cares if she moved? I swear if you ever come near her or hurt her again you will wish you were never born. I will make sure of it." Troy finished in a deadly whisper, inches away from Edward's face seeing as he had moved up slowly on him during the whole conversation.

Chad coughed and Troy added "We will make sure of it."

"Well," Edward said a few seconds after Troy's threat. "It's a good thing I never dated the girl then, right?"

"Don't put on the act, we know you did." Ryan said.

"No, I didn't." Edward insisted.

"What this all comes down to is your word against Gabi's, and Gabi doesn't lie."

"We trust Gabi." Chad added, narrowing his eyes.

"I can prove it. Can she?" Edward said now crossing his arms over his chest.

* * *

**Oh and check out my myspace. It has a playlist with most of the songs (and songs that have to do with the story) on it. **


	16. Lesson in Leavin'

**Dedicated to someone whose current girlfriend said that I was "the perfect girl pretty." No wonder she was always mean to me when I was dating him. She seems to think she's 'won' now. Apparently she doesn't get the point that I wouldn't date him again. I'd rather beg, borrow, and steal. **

**If ****we**** had the rights to ****You're**** so Vain, iPods, ****or anything else in here you recognize. Can you honestly say that you think we'd be writing on a fan fiction website?**

**Lesson in Leavin' - Jo Dee Messina **

* * *

**December 18, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge Lobby**

**10:10 A.M.**

"So I think we should do a Brittney Spears song." Sharpay said as they all sat with their iPods out, looking through their songs for suggestions.

"There is no way I'm doing anything with a Brittney Spears song." Taylor said browsing through her playlists. "I say we do a girl power song."

"You're so Vain!" Kelsi exclaimed punching a fist in the air as she came to it on her iPod.

"We should do an Aretha Franklin song!" Taylor said getting excited.

"That's true, Aretha says it best." Gabriella said smiling to herself. She was willing to bet everything she owned that Edward had never gotten that quote when she put it in that letter back to him.

"Is that what that means? I think Edward asked me what that meant about a year ago. I don't know why I remembered it still though." Said Kristina laughing.

"How long have you two been dating?" Asked Crystal as she sipped her apple cider.

"Almost two years. We had a small break though about a year and a half ago." Kristina replied smiling. "He's the best boyfriend."

Gabriella and Taylor slowly turned their heads to look at each other, mouths wide open.

"So why don't we all go the gym and pick there?" Kelsi asked getting up. "I heard someone got the piano moved there." She glared at Sharpay, who thankfully didn't see it.

_"So I had a dream last night. It totally freaked me out." Gabriella said into the phone. It was the first time she had actually gotten a hold of Edward in two and a half weeks_

_"__Really?__ What was the __dream.__" He asked_

_"I dreamed that you and your ex girlfriend, you know Kristina __Hassing__?"_

_"__Kristina __Hassen__, yes."_

_"__I dreamed that you were cheating on me with her and flaunting in front of me by walking past my house. You were also dressed up as a gangster though, that was a little confusing. Besides that though, it seemed really real." Gabriella said as he laughed_

_"Trust __me,__ I wouldn't ever cheat on you. I promise. I also promise that I won't ever dress up like a gangster if that would make you feel better."_

_"Yes it would make me feel better. You can't get away with the look." She said laughing too_

_"Well I've got to __go,__ my mom said that someone is here to see me. I'll call you later."_

_"We just started talking though." Gabriella whined_

_"I know, but she's yelling now." He said as he watched someone walk into his room_

_"You promise you'll call then, __cause__ last time you said that too and you didn't."_

_"I promise." He said not really paying attention to Gabriella, but to the other person in his room_

_"I love you."_

_"I __gotta__ go __bye__." He said quickly and hung up.__ Gabriella hung up and stuck her tongue out at the phone.__ Edward on the other hand invited the person that had entered his room to sit on his lap. _

**Snowflake Hills Lodge **

**G****ymnasium**

**10:15 A.M.**

"What do you mean, you can prove you never dated Gabi?" Troy asked in shock.

"I mean I have proof. Just as you heard." Edward smirked, "So I don't know what she thinks happened when she lived in Michigan. Hey man, how about we forget this and shoot some hoops?" He shoved the ball into Troy's chest.

"I have a better idea." Chad said, walking up behind Troy's left shoulder, "You show us this proof."

"I've been dating Kristina for two years. You can ask Kristina or my mom any time you want. How could I date Gabriella when I was with Kristina at the time she is claiming I was with her?"

There was a sharp gasp from behind the boys. They all turned and saw Gabriella and Taylor frozen in the doorway with all the other girls behind them, Gabriella's hand still on the door handle.

Edward's eyes flicked toward Gabriella for a second before he looked back at the boys.

"Excuse me!?" Gabriella said marching in, furiously, pushing the boys out of the way so she could get in front of Edward. "We were dating from June last year until the day after Christmas!" "What do you mean? I've been dating Edward since last July." Kristina yelled from where she was still at the entrance to the gym.

"You two broke up and he asked me out! Then you apparently got back together after I moved!" Gabriella yelled.

"You wish." Kristina laughed, "He said that you were the perfect girl pretty, but I was the only girl for him. That's what he said when I asked why you were always wanting to hang out with him. You were obsessive and trying to steal him from me, that's why he finally just started ignoring you and was happy to see you move away! The Christmas you are talking about he went over to my house and gave me this bracelet!" she waved her hand with a silver charm bracelet on her wrist in the air.

"He came to my house and I gave him a photo album I worked on for hours!" Gabriella said, letting anger take over her, something that almost never happens.

"Kristina's telling the truth, I never went to your house, and I have no idea what you're talking about, Gabriella, You're just crazy." Edward responded smirking.

"Second verse same as the first! You ALWAYS were lying!" Gabriella said rolling her eyes. "I swear, if you threw that photo album away I-"

With that, Gabriella and Kristina were pushed out of the way, and a fight broke out, Troy lunged at Edward and fists started to fly between the boys.

"Troy!" Gabriella gasped.

Kristina walked over to Gabi, "You really are jealous, aren't you? You are still trying to take Edward from me."

"Why would I want a backstabbing lying cheater like him? I can't believe that I ever liked him! He was just a waste of time! No girl should give him her time. Then again you do even though you at the _very_ least made out with Willard." Kristina snapped and punched Gabriella in the jaw, resulting in another fight starting.

"Gabriella! Quit! You do realize that you're fighting over Edward right?" Taylor shouted over all the fighting and attempted to get Kristina off of Gabriella, who was actually winning the fight. Taylor had almost succeeded, but then Kristina slapped her too.

"You know, if I didn't realize you had already lost since you had Edward I'd slap you back." Taylor replied grabbing Kristina's hand as it came at her again. Crystal rushed over to help her sister. Taylor grabbed Kristina, while Crystal grabbed Gabriella.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE!?" Shouted Jack Bolton, followed by Topanga Evans, Lucille Bolton, Erika Montez, Brian, and Loren Montez. Loren, Jack, and Brian rushed over to the boys to break up the fight.

After the parents and Brian had pried the boys apart, Jack let go of Edward, crossed his arms, and demanded, "What is going on here? This is not appropriate behavior."

"I am very disappointed in all of you. You are almost adults, you should act like it. Now whatever is this about?" Topanga asked, her hands on her hips and eyes narrowed.

"Gabriella is lying!" Yelled Kristina and Edward at the same time.

"No, they're both lying! If you ask them, Gabriella imagined her first boyfriend!" Chad responded holding his eye that was turning purple, still being restrained by Brian.

"What?" Erika asked incredulously.

"So you are saying that Gabriella said that Edward was her first boyfriend," Topanga asked pointing at Gabriella.

"You're saying that they're lying?" Lucille asked pointing at Kristina and Edward who were having a glaring match with Gabriella and Troy.

"I'm not sure as to what we should do here." Loren said from his position of holding Troy probably tighter than needed.

No one saw Sharpay walk around everyone to Edward and raise her hand high for a sharp and dramatic slap.

"Hey!" Gabriella said suddenly, noticing the photo album that Topanga was holding. She was interrupted by the sound of Sharpay's jeweled hand colliding with Edward's cheek, forcing his head painfully to the left, and instantly leaving a red hand print.

* * *

**If anyone can tell us what 60's song we used a line in there from you'll get a character named after you.**

**So….that was a lot of drama! ****More to come even :)**** Thanks for R&R! **


	17. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

**Dedicated to the person who thought that the girl should always pick what to do on dates.**_** EVERY**_**single date.**** Do you have any idea how**** annoying that can get? He still wouldn't pick even when I started making ****the ****dates ****for**** shoe shopping. **

**Check out the contest at the bottom of the page!**

**The Night Has a Thousand Eyes – Bobby ****Vee**

* * *

**December 18, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge **

**Gymnasium**

**10:30**** A.M.**

"How dare you accuse Gabriella of lying! I've seen her attempt to lie, but she can't do it for her life! You on the other hand, are pretty good at lying, but I can still see it in your eyes that you are. I should know, I'm the expert here!" said Sharpay to Edward after she had slapped him as hard as she could. Everyone else in the room just stood there in shock. Since when had Sharpay Evans stood up for anyone besides herself?

"Sharpay?" Ryan asked in barely a whisper. He was just as shocked as everyone else.

"Mrs. Evans? Can I ask what pictures are in that scrapbook?" Gabriella asked, surprised by Sharpay, but still wanting to prove her point.

"Actually dear, I believe you should have it since you made it." Topanga said smiling knowingly. "I found it in the trash about a year ago."

Gabriella was released by Crystal so she could take the scrapbook that she and Abby had spent hours on together. She turned the pages, looking for a certain page. She walked over to where Edward was and shoved it in his face.

"I've got my proof, where's yours? By the way, if Abby Raglin had known you threw this away, she would've hunted you down like Sharpay at a fifty percent off sale at Tiffany's. Normally I would have hit your or something to the effect since you cheated, but I think Sharpay, Troy, and Chad have that covered pretty darn well. Now would you like to show your _girlfriend_ this or should I, you compulsive liar?" Gabriella asked smirking, watching his face the whole time. She also noticed that Sharpay's rings had actually broken the skin on his cheek.

Edward paled as he looked at the scrapbook page that had picture of him kissing Gabriella and the words at the bottom that said 'June 30, 2006 - November 30, 2006. Five months and hopefully more to come!'

"You said you didn't know." He said to his mom.

"You said you didn't date her." She replied with her arms folded over her chest.

"What kind of mother are you?" Edward scowled, "Regular mothers would scold their son for two-timing! Not to mention they stand up for their sons!"

"So you admit it!" Chad said smirking.

"I'm not a regular mother, I'm your mother and don't you think both the examples you mentioned contradict in this case?" she said in a cold voice, "I always liked Gabriella. I didn't want to put her through more hurt by opening old wounds, which you have done anyway."

The rest of those who were being held were released. It was too soon in Kristina's case though, she also went over to Edward and slapped the opposite cheek that Sharpay had.

"You cheated on me!?" She shrieked at him.

"You do realize you're being incredibly hypocritical at the moment, right?" Gabriella asked closing the photo album and putting it under her arm.

"W-what?" Kristina asked looking scared that she was going to tell her secret.

"Who's Willard?" Taylor asked smirking from behind Gabriella.

"The night has a thousand eyes you two. Have fun working this out." Gabriella said walking over to Troy who was standing there in shock.

"You okay?" She asked him lightly touching the bruise forming on his cheek.

"Yeah Gabi." Troy said smiling down at her. "I'm really glad this all worked out."

"Me too, you have no idea how happy I am!" She replied, then looking down shyly. "Thank you so much."

"Anytime." He replied, lifting her chin up with a finger. "Now, are you okay? You're getting some pretty nasty bruises too."

"Trust me, I'm fine, well at least mentally. Where's Chad and the other guys? I need to thank them too." Gabriella said looking around finding Chad being taken care of by Taylor and Crystal.

"Gabriella, I'm sorry that my son did everything he did to you." Topanga said coming up behind her. "He's in a lot of trouble now. He can't get his license now until he turns 18 in August, he's grounded until March, no more skateboard, and no more bass guitar lessons."

"What do you mean he can't get his license until August? He told me he just wasn't allowed to drive your car." Gabriella asked confused.

"He told you he had his license too?" Gabriella nodded. "Okay, let's make that May that he's grounded until." Topanga replied and then hugged Gabriella and Troy gently because of their injuries.

"I can't believe you cheated on me! If you don't want me, don't lead me on girl!" Edward yelled at Kristina.

"You cheated first! You're the name of shame I've been wearing!" Kristina screamed back.

"You cheated without knowing I cheated so don't even try to pin this all on me you slu-"

"Oh how dramatic! Just like a play! Kelsi! Breaking Up is Hard to Do. My key. Now." Sharpay demanded, dragging the composer to the piano. Kelsi sighed and started playing. Sharpay pulled out her pink microphone and started singing into it, much in her own fashion. Ryan rolled his eyes, only to have his sister grab his arm and shove a metallic blue microphone in his hands, "This is a duo now, you join in. _Don't you leave my heart i__n misery Cause if you go..._"

"I feel so broke up I wanna go home!" Kristina screamed to the whole gym before she walked up to Topanga.

"Mrs. Evans, is it okay if I get a plane home? I'm sorry but I don't want to spend anymore time _ever_ with your son." Kristina asked Topanga who looked like she would rather be anywhere else.

"As much as I hate to say it, you are going to have to stay. It's a week before Christmas, do you really think it's possible to get a plane right now?" Topanga responded then walked out of the gym, pulling Edward by his ear yelling his punishments at him.

"Shut up!" Kristina screeched at the still singing Sharpay and Ryan before storming out of the gym also.

"Hey, Sharpay!" Gabriella yelled jogging to where the piano was at the opposite side of the gym with Taylor, Chad, and Troy following.

"I just wanted to say thank you. I really appreciate it." She said smiling widely. Surprisingly, Sharpay smiled back.

"You're welcome. No one insults my friends." She replied smiling slightly also.

"Friends?" Troy asked stunned.

"Is anything wrong with that?" Sharpay retorted looking as if she was about to slap him also.

"Nope, nothing is wrong with that." Gabriella replied for Troy who looked at her as if she was crazy.

"We just didn't expect you to ever do anything like that. We're pleasantly surprised." Taylor said and held her arms out for a hug from Sharpay who hugged her.

"Me next!" Gabriella said smiling as the other two released and Sharpay then hugged Gabriella.

"Ok we're going to pass on the hugs, especially since I really need ice for my bruises." Chad said for him and Troy.

"Come on, let's go get my wounded heroes some medical care." Gabriella said while avoiding taking Troy's hand since it was bruised from punching Edward. Not to mention hers was too from punching Kristina.

* * *

**Sorry about the mix up last chapter. Same contest as the last chapter, tell us what song the quote is from and we'll name a character after you (not guarantying it'll be a big character and the character might not appear until Band of Gold, the sequel). ****There are actually three**** song****s this time, and ****they are all from the 60s (you only have to get one). W****e don't know if any new songs have copied the quote or not****, just as the case was for the last chapter (****oh well,**** lesson learned on our part ****lol**** The story is almost coming to an end everyone! ****Sad huh?**** Well it is to at least us. Oh and Breaking Up is Hard to do isn't the song ****and the chapter name song doesn't count either ****lol. **** Last time we were looking for Henry the Eight by ****The**** Herman's Hermits. **


	18. Puttin' on the Ritz

**Dedicated to someone who wouldn't let me take a picture of him even though I want to be a photographer for a living, yet he lets his new girlfriend take lots of pictures of him.**

**If you think that we own any of the songs mentioned in this chapter, you are _sooo_ wrong. So no we don't own Last Christmas by Wham!, RESPECT by Aretha Franklin, Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee, White Christmas – Bing Crosby, Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms, Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson, or Puttin' on the Ritz by Taco/Fred Astaire (Wow, We used a lot of songs in this chapter LOL).**

**Puttin' on the Ritz - Taco**

* * *

**December 24, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

**Gymnasium**

**7:00 PM**

Gabriella stood behind the makeshift stage that had been made in the gym for the talent show. She was extremely nervous about the performance she was about to do with the girls and the solo one she was going to do later in the show. Most everyone that was staying at the lodge was doing something of their own. She was pretty excited to see what the boys were going to do.

"So you ready?" Taylor asked coming up behind her dressed in an outfit that matched Gabriella's. After much convincing, Sharpay had gotten them all to wear matching outfits. Apparently she had already found out their sizes since once they agreed, she pulled out a bag with dresses and boots. They all were the same, just different colors. Unfortunately they all were covered in sequins and glitter too. Gabriella's was turquoise, Sharpay's was bright pink (of course), Amanda's was red, Taylor's was purple, Kelsi's was Kelly green, Crystal's was orange, and Teal's was yellow.

"Not really, but I don't think Sharpay would care do you?" Gabriella answered nervously laughing.

"So when was the last time you saw Edward or Kristina?" Taylor asked curiously.

"Not since the fight." Gabriella responded, fingering the hem of her dress. It was much too short for her tastes, but who in their right mind would argue with Sharpay about fashion?

"I hope he comes tonight, I'd love to see the look on his face while we're singing this particular song." Taylor responded smiling evilly while scuffing her white glittery knee high boots that they all had been forced to wear also.

"Quit Taylor! You'll get them dirty!" Sharpay screeched as quietly as she could as to not distirurb the performance that Ryan and Kelsi were currently doing. He was singing White Christmas while she was playing the piano.

Once Ryan was done with his song, Sharpay practically pushed him off stage and then pulled the girls straight down to center stage. Kelsi started the music and Gabi started singing.

"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart,

But the very next day,you gave it away.

This year, To save me from tears,

I gave it to someone special."

When Gabi's solo was ending, she caught Troy's eye and smiled at him. Then, as instructed by Sharpay, Kelsi kicked up the beat and the lights turned flashy in a Sharpay Evans signature performance. The girls jumped to life and strutted in all directions. Sharpay strutted to center down stage to her spot light, Gabi took down left, Taylor down right, Amanda up left, Crystal up right, and Teal took up center. The girls all danced in the flashy way Sharpay had taught them, after much convincing as Sharpay took on her solo that was, not surprisingly, longer than Gabriella's. Then the lights went crazy and covered all the stage, and the rest of the girls joined in on the song. The girls ended in a bow and the lights went up over the audience. Gabriella caught sight of Edward sitting with his mother, starring at her open-mouthed.

_"How come you don't sing unless you're at church?" Edward asked as he noticed that Gabriella was humming along to the radio as she drove him home from church. _

_"I don't know. Too shy I guess." She responded, __then__ went back to her humming__, desperately hoping he would drop the subject_

_"You should sing more, you have a beautiful voice." He replied, and in return received a look that plainly said she thought he was lying. _

_"Seriously, I love your voice. I'd love to hear your voice without anyone else singing with you." _

_"__Someday__, I can't get the nerves up to do it now." She responded laughing nervously. _

_"I can't wait." He replied sincerely. _

_"You want to go get lunch or something?" She asked, hoping to change the subject. _

_"Sure." He responded as she continued to hum. _

"I would now like to introduce my best friend while she does a solo song, well me and my sister are backups for her. Either way, here's Gabriella Montez!" Taylor announced as everyone but her, Gabriella, and Crystal got off the stage.

"I would say something about the song I'm about to sing, but Aretha says it best in the song." Gabriella said smirking towards where Edward was sitting, still looking shocked. He knew she could sing, but not that well.

As she started to sing, everyone knew the song almost instantly, including Edward. Who finally after almost a whole year of being curious as to what the phrase 'Aretha says it best' meant, understood what it meant.

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me! R-E-S-P-E-C-T!" Gabriella bolted out, surprising everyone. When she finished Sharpay got on hurriedly and announced it was her turn to do her own song and she launched into her own glamored up version of Jingle Bell Rock.

"Hey." Troy said coming up from behind Gabriella, causing her to jump and squeak.

"Oh my goodness you scared me!" She whispered back, a hand on her chest.

"You were amazing out there and I'm extremely glad that those songs weren't directed at me." He said, eyes twinkling.

"You better believe it." She replied smiling leaning in to kiss him.

"Girl, if you mess up your make up, Sharpay will have your head." Taylor said walking by.

"So I've got a surprise for you." Troy said nervously.

"What?" She asked, her brow furrowing.

"You're not done performing tonight."

"Excuse me?" She replied, very confused. She was only signed up for two songs.

"We're doing a duet." Troy said as Sharpay finished.

"Whaaaat?" Gabriella squeaked as she was pulled up onto the stage again, "But you keep saying that you're done with singing!"

"Well, once more isn't that bad. Kelsi?" he looked at Kelsi who smiled and turned the page of her music and started to play.

"Don't go breakin' my heart." He sang, smiling at her.

"I couldn't if i tried." Gabriella responded also smiling now. Despite what she had thought, Gabriella had a lot of fun doing that without any preparation. Sharpay and Amanda were now doing a duet with Sleigh Ride before the boys went up. Gabriella was now sitting in the audience between her parents.

After the duet, Kelsi reached under the piano bench and put on a black tux coat and a matching top hat and started to play. The audience burst into applause as the boys all came out dressed in rented tuxes, top hats and canes singing Puttin' on the Ritz, Each boy taking turns in the spotlight, including a tap-dancing Chad. To put it mildly, it was extremely amusing.

After the boys all took their bows, the talent show was over and everyone got up to talk. Edward snuck out of the room smirking and whispering, "You need to know when to walk away, There'll be time enough for counting when the dealing's done."

"Chad, I thought you don't dance." Taylor smiled, hugging him from behind, and stealing his top hat.

"I don't. This was a one time only thing." He responded frowning at the look on his girlfriend's face.

"Nah uh, there is still prom." She responded smiling widely. Chad groaned loudly.

"You boys were awesome!" Amanda smiled.

"So were you girls."

"Of course, I was great in it." Sharpay smiled.

"Yeah, but we never thought we could ever see you basketball stars all in tuxes, top hats and dancing with canes like that!" Gabriella said, ignoring Sharpay.

Everyone else continued to talk, but Gabriella looked out to the crowd to see if Edward was still there. If she was lucky, she would be able to get through the rest of the trip without seeing him or Kristina.

"Come on Gabi, dinner!" Troy said wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Not yet, I would really like to change out of this outfit, I look like a disco ball." She replied grimacing.

"A very cute disco ball." Troy responded smiling and earning a slap to the back of his head.

* * *

**The songs in the last chapter we quoted were Sloop John B. by the Beach Boys, ****Gimme ****A**** Little Sign by ****Brenton**** Wood, and Love Child by Diana Ross and the Supremes. We almost had a right answer, but they had the wrong artist. We're looking for the original artists! This time the song is from the 70s. So once again, be the first to tell us the song and artist we used a lyric from and ****you'll**** get a character named after you. A little hint: it is not any of the songs mentioned above in our disclaimer. Thanks for reading!**


	19. We've Only Just Begun

**Dedicated to someone who ****after ****five months of dating me**** still**** didn't ****even ****know who my ****best friend**** was.**** Completely besides the point that she had been my best friend for already a year and a half, right? Idiot….**

**Alyssa made a banner for the story, it's on my profile. ****I'm extremely amused by it. **

**One last time.**** No we don't own anything you recognize like Taco Bell. All we own is the characters you don't recognize. Now…. for the most part isn't that extremely depressing? **

**We've Only Just Begun – ****The**** Carpenters**

* * *

_"Why would I go to college? It just seems like a waste of time. I know I'm stupid, I don't need college to tell me that." Edward replied to his __very__ worked up girlfriend. She wasn't too happy with him at the moment. _

_"Why would you go to college!?__ Why wouldn't you go to college!? It' will help you immensely to get a good paying job! Otherwise you'll just end up working at Taco Bell or something for the rest of eternity! Do you really want to work there forever? And how many times do I have to tell you that you __**are not**____ stupid!" Gabriella said practically yelling. She was starting to scare __Edward,__ he'd never heard her yell before. _

___"Fine, I'll at least go to __a __community college." He muttered while rolling his eyes. _

___"Promise me you'll at least get your AA!" Gabriella demanded putting her hand out for him to shake on it. _

___"Fine if it will get you off my back." He said quickly shaking her hand. "Well I have to go home, my mom doesn't know I left." _

___"What?" Gabriella asked irritated. _

___"Nothing, I'll talk to you later." He said walking off without a proper goodbye._

**December 27, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

**Lobby**

**7:00 PM**

"So we are all here to tell our families and friends what college we're going to. We haven't told anybody yet, excluding Taylor and Gabriella of course who promised to go to the same one." Ryan said as all the East High seniors at the Snowflake Lodge stood in front of their families who were seated on the many couches in the lobby.

"Ryan! We all know why we're here! Let's just get it over with and tell them. I'm first!" Sharpay said as she put her hands on her hips. "I have decided to go to University of Albuquerque!"

Ryan went next seeing as they were in a line.

"I'm going to New Mexico State University." He said proudly. Sharpay seemed slightly surprised but hugged him anyway.

"Both me and Taylor have also decided to go to New Mexico State University!" Gabriella said excitedly as both she and Taylor grinned.

"I have decided on a college in Santa Fe because they have an excellent culinary program." Zeke said smiling.

"I'm going to a college in Santa Fe too!" Jason said at the opposite end of the line causing everyone else to groan at his lack of being able to follow the directions.

"I'm going to NMSU too!" Chad and Troy said at the same time to Taylor and Gabriella. This time Troy wasn't wrong, but Chad was out of turn of course.

"I'm also going to University of Albuquerque." Kelsi said smiling slightly at Sharpay.

"Thank goodness none of us are leaving the state!" Taylor said as she hugged Chad while they both jumped up and down, Chad's hair bouncing more than them.

**December 31, 2007**

**Snowflake Hills Lodge**

**'Young Adults' Club**

**11:30 PM**

Gabriella walked into the club that held one of her most precious memories exactly a year after she had the first time, her outfit looking perfect, and mood complete opposite of the year previous. She hadn't bothered with makeup. She was rather proud of her battle scars that had been administered by Kristina. She found it rather amusing that she and Troy both had bruised right hands and a black eye a piece. Did you know any other couple that had matching bruises from getting into a fight with your ex and his girlfriend?

"Gabi!" Kelsi called to her once she saw her enter. Kelsi was sitting with all of the girls who seemed rather excited that Gabriella had gotten there.

"What's going on with you guys?" Gabriella asked suspiciously.

"We know that tonight's your anniversary with Troy. We want to know what he got you!" Sharpay responded, practically jumping up and down in her seat.

"Actually, what did you get him?" Taylor asked. Gabriella looked around to make sure he wasn't near by, but before she could respond. Chad was in front of Taylor on his knees and his hands clasped together near his face.

"Please Taylor! No prom! I don't dance!" He begged, his lips in a pout.

"Dressed up like a million dollar trouper and trying hard to look like Gary Cooper?" She responded laughing.

"It was a one time thing!" He responded, still in the same position.

"So is prom. So we'll be Puttin' on the Ritz at prom." Taylor responded crossing her arms and glaring at him. He got up and walked away looking extremely depressed over to where the guys were. Gabriella caught Troy's eye and he winked at her then went back to his conversation with Jason.

"Now that Chad's gone, what'd you get Troy?"

"I made him two scrapbooks."

"Isn't that what you did for the idiot? How tacky." Sharpay said looking disgusted.

"These are much different. I did it all myself and I customized the front and back covers. The one I did for Edward I had help from my friend Abby and I didn't near as much time on it personalizing it. You'll see once I give it to him." Gabriella responded smiling.

"Scrapbooks?" Sharpay said, plainly asking why it was a good idea.

"Oh just trust her Sharpay." Taylor responded, attempting not to roll her eyes.

"So still no Edward?" Gabriella asked looking around.

"Nope. I told him and Kristina to stay away from us." Sharpay said as she took out a nail file and started to file her nails.

"When?" Kelsi asked looking at her curiously.

"After the fight." Sharpay responded filing away.

"He was at the talent show you know, right?" Gabriella asked.

"Really now? Excuse me, I'll be back later." Sharpay said getting up and walking out, looking like she was on a mission.

"I'll go record the fight!" Kelsi said excitedly, scurrying after her with her phone out.

"Let's go over to the boys." Taylor said looking at Gabriella who seemed rather nervous. The remaining girls went over to the boys who quit talking abruptly as they arrived.

"Talking about what Troy got Gabi?" Taylor asked causing the boys to look guilty.

"Nope, never." Chad responded quickly at which everyone laughed at. Gabriella jumped as she felt Troy come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist.

"What's in the bag?" He asked her as he eyed the bag she was carrying.

"Your present." She responded looking up at him.

"How about we go out on the balcony and wait for the New Year?" He asked smiling at her.

"Sounds good." She said as he bent down to kiss her quickly before leading her out.

"So I can't believe that only a year ago I met you," Troy said as they walked out. "It seems like we've known each other our whole lives. I can't imagine going through life without you now."

"I know exactly how you feel." Gabriella said smiling up at him as they reached the balcony, which thankfully their friends had left empty for the two of them.

"So someone let it slip that Edward had showed up to the talent show. Sharpay is now going after him like there's no tomorrow. Kelsi followed with her phone to record it." Gabriella said laughing slightly and causing Troy to chuckle.

"Thank God someone is recording it this time." Troy responded. Gabriella was glad she could mention Edward around Troy now. He was a wonderful person to complain to and didn't mind that she complained about her ex. How much better could a boyfriend get?

"You know, I have to admit something." Troy said seriously hugging her tightly to himself.

"What?"

"I'm glad that Edward broke up with you a year ago, otherwise we wouldn't be here right now. I hate the fact that he put you through all that trouble and pain with a passion, but either way." He replied hugging her tighter.

"I agree. Even though he put me through a lot, it was worth it to get to the best guy out there." She said smiling widely and reaching up to kiss him and then settling back in his arms again. "So how long do you think we'll last? I hope we last forever." She said smiling contently.

Troy loosened his grip on her and gave her a look that made it obvious he was contemplating something. It started to worry her when he wasn't moving for awhile.

"What?" She asked. He bent down slightly and put his forehead against her's.

"I love you." He said with such sincerity it surprised her.

"I love you too." She replied with just as much sincerity.

"You know, I've thought about us too. A lot." He said as he let her go and turned around, putting his hands on the balcony rail. Gabriella stayed in the same place he had let her go, not sure of what he was doing. It was slightly worrying her.

"And?" She asked hesitantly. He turned around and gave her the same look as before. Now she was starting to get really worried that he was thinking that hard and hardly talking.

"We've never talked about this before, so I don't know if I'm about to make a complete fool out of myself or not." He muttered looking away from her. She cocked her head at him, extremely curious as to where this was going.

"Gabriella, I know that we're really young, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Gabriella didn't say anything for a few seconds, just stood there processing. Troy hadn't ever been that nervous in his whole life.

"Troy…I'm extremely touched and I feel the same way." She said smiling. He let out a breath he had been holding and looked extremely happy.

"Thank God." He said as he walked closer to her again while pulling something out of his pocket. She looked at it, extremely curious and hoping she was guessing right as to what it was.

"So after thinking this through, and actually talking to your parents." Gabriella raised her eyebrows at that one. Her dad hadn't killed him? That's got to be a miracle. "I got you this." He said handing her the small jewelry box and opening it. She gasped as she saw it.

"Troy! It's beautiful! It's a promise ring right? Just making sure." She replied, giggling slightly. He smiled as she examined the small white gold band that had one small diamond set into the band.

"Yes, it is a promise ring. Will you except it?" He asked with bated breath.

"Yes, I most definitely except it." She replied happily and handed it back to him so he could put it on her finger.

"I'm sorry but that's all you're getting for our anniversary." He said chuckling slightly as he put it on her finger. She couldn't keep her eyes off the ring.

"Completely understood. I bet this cost a fortune….it's so beautiful!" Gabriella said staring at it still. "I'm sorry but your present isn't nowhere near as nice as this." She said with a depressed tone.

"I will love anything you give me. I'd even be okay if I didn't get anything at all. I'm just glad you said yes." He replied kissing her. After a few minutes of kissing, she pulled away and dragged him over to a bench so he could open his present.

"Hurry up now, it's 11:50." She said excitedly as she put the heavy present on his lap.

"Whoa, what is it? It's heavy."

"Open it and you'll find out." Gabriella smiled, still admiring her ring and how it glittered in the light from inside the building.

"Alright." He lifted the gift and tore the paper off. He froze with his mouth open at what he held in his hands. Two photo albums. The first had a hand drawing of himself and Gabriella, the second had a hand drawing of them and their friends.

"Oh Gabi." he said, opening the top album and looking at the wonderful personalized layout of each page, "This is wonderful."

"You really like it?" she squeaked and blushed.

"Like it? I love it, it's perfect. Did you do this all on your own? I didn't know you could draw like this."

"Yeah, I've been working on it for a long time, I almost didn't finish it in time."

"When was this picture taken? I don't remember there being a camera here." he pointed at a photograph of him, Gabriella, and Kelsi practicing for the spring musical callbacks.

"Sharpay had Ryan spying on us, and he took it. Afterwards he gave it to me along with a few others like this one." she pointed at another photograph.

"I love it, Gabriella Montez." he smiled and pulled her in for a kiss as the clock struck midnight and their friends inside went crazy.

"Happy anniversary." Gabriella said smiling.

"Happy anniversary." Troy replied, kissing her again.

* * *

**So sad.**** It's the end of the story that was originally going to be a three to five shot. The sequel is already ****posted; ****It's**** called Band of Gold. Thanks for reading, it's been fun! **

**Congratulations to Lil-Evans who correctly guessed the song from the last chapter. The answer was The Gambler by Kenny Rogers.**** By the way, you still need to message us back telling us what you want your name to be. **

**Star and Lissa; ****Slowly**** trying to educate our generation about Oldies.**

**Oh and one last note to Sarah (who didn't leave an email address in her review) -  
**

**No it isn't Don't go breaking my heart by Jesse McCartney. We said in the ****AN that**** all of the songs in the disclaimer weren't the songs we were looking for (which was included, but he's not the original singer of that song anyway). **

**Also, people really are that bad. Almost everything that Edward does in this story someone I use to know did to me. Just read the dedicated to parts of all the chapters and the flashbacks (well most of the flashbacks). So actually, it's _extremely _realistic. If you don't want to believe me, that's fine.**

**Once again, ****Puttin ****On**** the Ritz is a song. It said that in the disclaimer too. ****Thanks for saying it's**** a great story though **

**Don't forget about the sequel (Band of Gold)!**


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